Transportation Sector in Shambles: Tunisians Left to Fend for Themselves
The recent heavy rainfall has been used as a pretext to cripple the transportation sector. Nothing is working as it should, and Tunisians are being abandoned to their fate. So far, no improvements are in sight.
According to La Presse, workers, students, and pupils are struggling every day to get to their workplaces or schools. Some are forced to walk for kilometers, and their absence can have severe consequences. Students have missed classes, and some have even failed to attend mandatory courses. They are the real heroes in this situation.
Promises Unfulfilled
Everyone is fighting for collective taxis or individual taxis, while clandestine transporters are taking advantage of the situation and demanding their share of the profits. Tunisians have no choice but to spend large sums of money daily, often exceeding their salaries.
The question on everyone's mind is why this chaos is happening. The answer is simple: the public transportation sector has failed miserably in its mission. Buses are no longer arriving at certain destinations, causing inconvenience to users. The metro system is almost out of service, breaking down every day and causing problems for commuters.
This catastrophic situation has been ongoing for nearly two weeks. While the reasons for the metro disruptions are understandable, it's hard to explain what's happening with the buses. The Tunis-Marine area has been flooded since the last rainfall, which, according to officials, is preventing the metro from operating. The frequency of the metro has exceeded 60 or 80 minutes, and sometimes, there are no metro services for several hours. This is unacceptable, and users are not being informed about the situation.
Broken Promises
Users were promised the acquisition of hundreds of new buses and the maintenance and rehabilitation of several vehicles and metro trains. These promises, made in January 2025, assured that by the end of December 2025, dozens of new buses and metro trains would be added to the system, resulting in frequencies of 7 to 10 minutes for all modes of transportation. However, it's now February 2026, and none of these promises have been fulfilled. In fact, the situation has worsened.
Possible Solutions
For those suffering through this ordeal, it feels like they've been abandoned by those responsible for managing the transportation sector. The situation is a complete fiasco, and it's hard to understand why no solutions have been found. Many people suspect a conspiracy, as the situation is inexplicable.
The arrival of dozens of buses at the port of La Goulette is meaningless if there's no impact on the ground. The fact that nothing has changed is a testament to the ineffectiveness of the measures taken.
The Situation on the Ground
The situation is more alarming than ever, with unprecedented chaos in the circulation of buses and metro trains. Certain areas are flooded, and users are being deprived of transportation services. The Tunis-Marine area is a prime example, and the tunnel of Bab Alioua is also affected.
A Call to Action
The citizen is being severely affected by this chaos and is waiting for those in charge to be more reactive and provide solutions quickly. It's time for them to reinforce all metro lines (2, 4, 5, and 6) with buses, especially since metro breakdowns and incidents are common. This means of transportation is no longer reliable.
In truth, public transportation users are victims of poor management and are only asking for the implementation of promised programs. This is the least they deserve.
Read also: Transport: Launch of a Call for Tenders for the Acquisition of 621 New Buses
