Liabilities

DECISION OF THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATIONS

No. Β 36934/2805

ΦΕΚ 682/Β/10-7-2002

Issue of a consumer obligations charter (Χ.Υ.Κ.) of the transport service providers of law 2963/2001 (Α’268)

Taking into account:

1. The provisions of paragraph 2 of article 15 of law 2963/2001 (Α’268).
2. The P.D.229/94 (Α’134) General Regulation of the Staff of the Joint Bus Collection Funds (KTEL).
3. Article 29a of Law 1558/85 (A’ 137) “Government and government bodies” as added to it by article 27 of Law 2801/92 (A’154) and replaced by paragraph 2a of article 1 of Law 2469/97 (A’38).
4. The fact that the provisions of this decision do not cause expenditure at the expense of the state budget, we decide:

We issue the Charter of Obligations to the consumer, of the bodies providing transport work as follows:

Article 1

Obligations of Transport Bodies

1. Transport bodies and their bodies are obliged to:

a. Serve the regular bus lines, which belong to each of them.

b. ensure the cleanliness, presentable appearance, safe movement of buses, as well as maintenance with the aim of reducing environmental impacts from their use. This obligation also applies to bus owners.

c. collect the specified ticket prices and post the current tariff in a visible place.

d. adhere precisely to the specified routes and make special routes whenever the needs of serving the passenger public require it,

e. maintain stations, bus arrival and departure agencies and passenger waiting shelters in good condition, place departure and stop signs and generally take any measure useful for serving the passenger public,

f. inform the passenger public about the network and routes of passenger lines, as well as any other useful information.

g. make seat reservations. Seat reservations are mandatory for the KTEL up to one hour before the route is executed,

h. ensure the safe transport of passengers, their luggage and unaccompanied small packages.

i. ensure the accurate execution of the planned work, especially with regard to frequency, adherence to routes, and journey time.

j. ensure satisfactory service for passengers during the transport and during their stay in the waiting and arrival-departure areas of buses.

k. have organized information services (Public Service Office) at the arrival and departure stations.

l. have an organized service for receiving packages and storing lost items.

m. prohibit the transport of flammable and explosive materials,

n. prohibit the transport of animals, except in the case of animals accompanying disabled people or small pets, which are transported by means suitable for this purpose.

o. They place “Complaints – Suggestions Boxes” both at stations and agencies and inside buses.

p. They prohibit the transportation of children up to six (6) years of age without a person accompanying them. The person accompanying these children is responsible for their safe transportation and occupies a passenger seat with the child which is located behind another seat.

lg. They allow children aged six (6) to fifteen (15) years to use a double seat, single in the seat and backrest, in groups of three, as long as it is located behind another passenger seat.

r. In cases of adverse weather conditions, they monitor the relevant media reports and, when necessary, due to interruption of transport via ferries or other places, they take the necessary measures (postponement of routes, informing the passenger public at the time of departure, etc.) to avoid any inconvenience to the passenger public that can be prevented.

lθ. They refund 70% of the ticket price to the passenger in case he cancels the seat reservation on an intercity route at least 8 hours before departure, or 50% in case he cancels the seat reservation within 8 hours before departure.

etc. modify the tickets, instead of the previous cancellation, regarding the date of the trip or transfer them to other persons without any charge to these persons (imposed in the case of the transfer of a regular ticket to a person who is entitled to a reduced price ticket or free movement of the refund of the corresponding money to the original holder of the ticket). Provided that in each case (cancellation or change of destination or itinerary or change of passenger or change of date) there is a visa on the ticket by the competent KTEL employee and only.

Ms. They post the XYK in visible places of the stations and agencies of arrival and departure of buses as well as inside them and make it available to the passenger public by any appropriate means.

Article 2

Staff Obligations

The staff of transport operators, as well as bus owners who, due to their work, fall into one of the categories of staff, must:

a. Have a decent appearance and wear the special uniform for those who are required, during the time of Service maintained in good condition.

b. Behave towards the passenger public with courtesy, seriousness and willingness and ensure their full and immediate service.

c. Show particular care and attention when it comes to disabled people (elderly people, pregnant women and people with special needs).

d. Provide willingly any useful information that falls within their competence, especially regarding routes, bus arrivals and departures, etc.

e. Not to smoke during the journey.

f. To take care responsibly of the collection and delivery of passengers’ luggage and unaccompanied small packages.

g. Ticket inspectors to display their official identification during the check.

h. Bus drivers to place their name and surname in a designated place and to change the bus screen.

i. To ensure that passengers do not open the bus windows when the air conditioning is operating or when other passengers oppose it.

j. To prevent passengers from taking any action that may cause damage to the bus.

k. To prevent passengers from smoking inside the bus.

l. Recommend that passengers give up their seat to people in need of assistance (pregnant women, elderly people, people with disabilities) during bus routes that allow the transport of standing passengers.

Article 3

Consumer rights and compensation for them

1. Citizens’ reports for violations of the obligations set forth herein and the regulations of the personnel of the transport operators shall be submitted to the competent Transport and Communications department of the Prefectural Government, where the seat of the transport operator is located, which shall refer them to the competent bodies specified in the provisions and regulations of article 4 hereof for the imposition of the envisaged sanctions with their reasoned decision.

2. Each transport operator shall be obliged to compensate consumers for the following cases:

a. For loss of luggage, a minimum compensation amount of €30.
b. For loss of unaccompanied small packages, a minimum compensation amount of €15.
c. For failure to pick up a passenger due to the fault of the transport operator from the departure point or a predetermined stop, three times the value of the ticket.

Article 4

Violations – sanctions

1. Administrative sanctions shall be imposed on the administrative bodies of the transport operators and on the bus owners who violate the provisions of this Law in accordance with Article 17 of Law 2963/2001.
2. Penalties provided for in their regulations, as applicable each time, shall be imposed on the personnel of the transport operators, depending on the gravity of the violation and an administrative fine in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article 14 and Article 17 of Law 2963/2001.