Thessaloniki transport authority seeking private help over bus shortage

The Thessaloniki Urban Transport Organization (OASTH) is to hold talks on Monday with representatives of the privately run intercity bus service (KTEL) in a bid to tackle a serious bus shortage in the northern port city.

OASTH is hoping to strike a two-year agreement with Thessaloniki's KTEL drivers so as to meet demand on 25 routes that have suffered the most as a result of OASTH's shortage of vehicles and drivers.

According to data, the service OASTH provides to commuters in Thessaloniki has shrunk 42 percent between 2012 and 2019. The Thessaloniki KTEL company is expected to provide 75 buses to augment OASTH's daily fleet of some 260 vehicles.

The scheme has met with opposition among OASTH unionists.