A resident of Warta Bolesławiecka municipality wrote to us via Facebook:
As long as I can remember, I have travelled by public transport [...]. In our village, the only possible way to get around is by the private minibuses operated by “Grażyna”. Information about the pandemic is well known throughout the world, yet some people either play it down [je] or simply do not care…
People have bought monthly and school tickets and would simply like to get to work calmly and without the stress caused by travelling from point A to point B. For some time now, minibuses have been taken off the road, including on Saturdays, when people work night shifts and would like to get home after work.
One issue worth raising is minibuses arriving in the afternoon, when people are travelling to second shifts and are standing shoulder to shoulder. Where is social distancing? Where is hygiene? There is no possibility of using disinfectant. This is extremely irresponsible cost-cutting at the expense of other people’s health.
Grażyna Kocha, owner of the “Grażyna” Service and Trade Company:
It is untrue that only my company operates this connection. I run regular services on the routes Szczytnica Osiedle – Bolesławiec – Szczytnica Osiedle and Raciborowice Górne – Bolesławiec – Raciborowice Górne. The competing company PKS BOLESŁAWIEC also operates in all the localities along the routes mentioned above.
Out of concern for passengers’ health and safety, I reduced the number of services so that drivers would have time to disinfect the vehicles.
My company sells monthly tickets for a route, not for specific services. In connection with preventive measures intended to protect as many people as possible from the spread of the coronavirus, classes at educational and cultural institutions have been cancelled, appeals have been issued to limit visits to offices, make use primarily of remote forms of work and contact, and limit movement; consequently, we are recording a significantly smaller number of passengers.
And she adds:
Services are operated by buses and minibuses, depending on the number of passengers. After the state of epidemic was introduced in the country, the number of passengers fell dramatically. The buses are regularly disinfected, ventilated and washed. Because the vehicles are thoroughly disinfected, the number of services has been limited so that the driver has time to disinfect the interior properly, with particular emphasis on the parts touched by passengers. Drivers were also informed about the new restrictions that have been in force since Wednesday, 25 March.
I have never saved money at passengers’ expense and I always try to take care of their safety.
Further confirmation is provided by the letters I sent to the Mayor of Warta Bolesławiecka Municipality and the Bolesławiec County Starost, asking for help in securing transport for residents, because I have been suffering enormous losses for two weeks. A lack of assistance will result in the complete suspension of services.