A young woman in Sofia was forcibly removed from a public transport bus despite possessing a valid electronic ticket purchased through a mobile app.
The incident, which took place on the 102 bus route, has sparked public outcry and raised concerns about the training and awareness of public transport staff regarding mobile ticketing systems.
According to a report by Nova TV, the event was brought to light by a relative of the woman, who submitted a letter detailing the ordeal to the media.
The letter describes how the woman, who had purchased and validated her ticket using the mpass mobile application, was subjected to humiliation by the ticket controllers. Despite her efforts to show the controllers the valid ticket on her phone, she was removed from the bus and fined.
The relative wrote, “My son’s girlfriend was humiliated, brought to tears, and removed from the 102 bus by a controller, who even issued a fine, despite her having a valid ticket purchased through the mpass app. After my own review, I confirmed that the ticket was correctly validated and in use.”
The incident has highlighted a potential disconnect between the use of mobile ticketing services and the awareness of transport staff in Sofia.
The ticket in question, which is valid for 120 minutes after validation according to the mobile app, was not verified using any device, raising questions about the procedures followed by the controllers.
The relative of the victim further claimed that this was not the first such incident. “This is the second time this week that she has been fined while using a ticket purchased through the mpass app,” the letter explained.
The repeated fines have added to the family’s frustration and have raised the broader issue of whether public transport authorities are adequately informing their staff about the mobile apps they encourage passengers to use.
The case has since been escalated to the Center for Urban Mobility, which oversees public transport in Sofia. The relative has urged the agency to provide proper training to its employees to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
“It is unacceptable for paying customers to be treated this way. The Center for Urban Mobility must ensure that its controllers are aware of the mobile applications they promote,” the letter added.
Following the complaint, the issue was forwarded to the Mayor of Sofia by the Commission for Consumer Protection. Both the victim and her family are now awaiting a response from local authorities.
The incident has triggered discussions on social media, with many residents voicing their concerns about the lack of professionalism shown by transport staff and the inadequate understanding of modern ticketing methods.
Many called for better training and clearer communication between public authorities and their employees to prevent further such occurrences.
As Sofia continues to modernize its public transport system, including through the use of digital ticketing apps like mpass, this case has shed light on the challenges that arise when technology is not fully integrated into daily operations.
Public transport users are now eagerly awaiting the city’s response, hoping for swift action to address the apparent gaps in the system.