On March 7, a conference summarizing the activities of PKS Bolesławiec in 2019–2023 was held at the Old Theatre of the Youth Cultural Centre in Bolesławiec. It brought together more than 70 participants, including current and former Company employees, representatives of local authorities, and cooperating institutions and companies. During the ceremony, the Company’s long-serving employees were honored: Józef Kopeć, Szczepan Osuch, Mirosława Gudaczewska, Mariusz Nawrot, Marek Sokołowski and Franciszek Bochnia.
The conference was opened by PKS Bolesławiec Management Board President Łukasz Jaźwiec, who presented the Company’s activities in recent years, from the time when its liquidation was a real threat to the present day, marked by the efficient and comprehensive provision of passenger transport services.
“The pandemic was the first shock for us,” the president said. “The Company had to survive without passengers. We are still dealing with the second shock, the war in Ukraine. Hard work lies ahead of us, as does the demolition of the office building in which we currently operate. I would like to sincerely thank the employees. Without them and their belief that PKS Bolesławiec can grow, I would have achieved nothing,” Łukasz Jaźwiec said.
Thanks to the renewal of its fleet, close cooperation with municipalities in creating timetables, and an appropriate offer for residents, PKS Bolesławiec has made a significant contribution to combating transport exclusion in the county. This was emphasized by Bolesławiec County Head Tomasz Gabrysiak as the result of excellent cooperation with the municipalities.
“Thank you for the invitation,” Tomasz Gabrysiak said in greeting. “This is an important ceremony for me. At the beginning of my term, I had two critically ill patients: PKS and the county hospital. It was a difficult decision, which I made with the Management Board, for the county to become the organizer of transport services. The quality of the fleet was poor, but PKS’s true value lies in its employees, who believed that the company could function well. The bus fund was helpful to us, but I also thank the village heads and the mayor for trusting PKS. Today, the Company does not generate losses. It is a company meant to perform public tasks, so breaking even is a very good result. The county subsidized the Company several times to develop its potential. For years, the village heads have consistently taken on the burden of co-financing PKS. Today, we can travel to Bolesławiec from every municipality, while neighboring counties look at us enviously because we have PKS—a company to which transport tasks can be entrusted,” the county head added.
The mayor of Bolesławiec was also present at the ceremony.
“I am one of the people with a family connection to PKS,” Piotr Roman said. “My father worked all his life as a driver. The period before 1989 was a good time for drivers. They worked hard, but they also enjoyed prestige. When the political transformation came and private operators appeared, the specter of bankruptcy began to hang over PKS. I was presented with a plan to liquidate the company. The unemployment rate in Bolesławiec was much higher. There was no hope. That is why I am so pleased that the company was saved. Cooperation, reaching agreements, a change in mindset, and a good strategy saved the Company. The entire workforce believed that the company could be lifted out of decline. Many congratulations and great joy,” the mayor said.
Roman Jaworski emphasized that he, too, had family ties to PKS Bolesławiec and told how he met his wife, who worked in the PKS parts store.
“Our municipality has 30 localities, and each one has access to a bus,” Roman Jaworski said. “I thank the president for ensuring that no residents of our municipality are excluded from public transport. His five years of work have not been wasted. It turned out that, even in a difficult situation, it is possible to create a well-functioning organization. I thank the county head and the Management Board for deciding to develop the company rather than close it,” added the deputy head of the rural Bolesławiec municipality.
The event was enhanced by performances from vocal groups from the Youth Cultural Centre in Bolesławiec, further underscoring the ceremonial character of the conference.