Rome's public transport company Atac has agreed to compensate passengers for poor service, Italy's competition and consumer protection authority (AGCM) said, as quoted by Reuters, News.bg reports.
The decision closes an investigation launched in February into “possible unfair commercial practices“ after the regulator suspected that the transport operator had not complied with mandatory quality standards in the period 2021-2023.
The AGCM recalls that during these years Atac has often committed violations, including delays, malfunctioning escalators and elevators, as well as a lack of security at metro stations. After negotiations, the company promised to allocate more than 3 million euros to refund annual pass holders. Passengers with a 2024 season ticket will receive a compensation of 5 euros, and the same amount will be paid to all those who had an annual pass between 2021 and 2023.
Atac will also introduce a new mobile app that allows partial refunds for bus, tram or metro delays of more than 15 minutes. The company has pledged to improve service by hiring additional staff at metro stations and investing 2.6 million euros annually in employee training.
Although Rome's public transport has long been criticized for inefficiency, Atac insists that the quality of services has improved in recent months thanks to European funding after the pandemic and preparations for the upcoming Catholic Jubilee Year. The company declined to officially comment on the AGCM's decision.