## The Arithmetic of Protest: Why They Are Striking The one-day protest action by the Latvian Association of Passenger Carriers (LAPC) threatens to turn into a real transport paralysis. According to the Road Transport Administration (RTA), around 5,000 regional bus routes across the country are at risk of being disrupted due to companies refusing to operate. The scale of the potential disaster is impressive: the strike will directly affect up to 100,000 passengers. Considering that most of them commute to work, schools, and hospitals daily, the RTA has sent official letters to carriers urging them to soberly assess the feasibility of the action. However, as of 12:00 on Monday, September 14, it became clear that many companies with 10-year contracts are firmly determined to stop operations. Carriers provide figures proving that the conditions of contracts proposed by the state, drafted back in 2021, are simply unviable in 2026: * Diesel fuel price: increased from €1.23/l in 2021 to €2.04/l in 2026 (+66%); * Average driver salary: rose from €6.24/h to €10.00/h (+60%); * Overall inflation (consumer prices): has amounted to +38% since 2021. "It is unrealistic to work in 2026 at 2021 prices!" the carriers summarize, demanding an immediate reassessment of conditions and indexing from the government. ## Who Is Striking, Who Is Silent, and Who Will Operate According to RTA data on Monday, the positions of transport companies are distributed as follows: **Officially confirmed participation in the strike:** * "Talsu autotransports" – will not operate routes to Talsi, Dobele/Jelgava, Alūksne/Gulbene. * "Daugavpils autobusu parks" – cancels routes to Daugavpils, Krāslava. * "Rēzeknes autobusu parks" – will cancel routes to Rēzekne, Ludza. * "Norma A", operating under the Ecolines brand: will cancel 188 routes (from Madona). Hansabuss Latvija, Liepājas autobusu parks, Nordeka, and Dautrans have also joined the strike. Information about specific routes will be published on the carriers' websites and social media, as well as on the [RTA website](https://www.atd.lv/lv/jaunumi/atd-apkopojusi-inform%C4%81ciju-par-p%C4%81rvad%C4%81t%C4%81ju-dal%C4%ABbu-16-septembra-lppa-organiz%C4%93taj%C4%81-protesta). **Refused to strike and will operate as usual:** * "CATA" (the company has a separate three-year contract); * "Latvijas Sabiedriskais autobuss" (serving routes in Saldus, Kuldīga, and parts of the Riga outskirts); At the same time, a number of companies remained uncertain until midday on Monday. As did their routes — in the Riga outskirts, to Liepāja, Tukums, Jēkabpils, Preiļi, Līvāni, Dobele, Jelgava, Bauska... What alternative was offered to their passengers? None. Worry. Details later. **And what next?** The Road Transport Administration emphasizes that the main priority is the uninterrupted travel of passengers, so the RTA categorically does not support a strike that affects ordinary people. Nevertheless, the chairman of the RTA board, Jānis Lapiņš, openly acknowledges that the financial claims of carriers are justified. According to the administration's calculations, by 2026, the industry lacks the aforementioned €9.8 million, and from 2027, the base budget needs to be raised by another €15 million annually (with parallel digitalization and targeted tariff increases). Intermediate finish: the RTA's proposals have been submitted to the Ministry of Transport and the Public Transport Council. The main essence of the proposed reform is to switch from indexing contracts every 4 years to annual indexing every year. According to the RTA, in the context of unpredictable global crises, this is the only justified way to save the carriers' business without undermining the results of past competitions. But the main problems of the carriers remain unresolved.
