THE RIGHTS OF PASSENGERS IN BUS AND COACH TRANSPORT ACCORDING TO EU REGULATION NO 181/2011

Year 2019, , 263 - 274, 30.04.2019

Ramazan Durgut

https://doi.org/10.22139/jobs.503948

Abstract

In Turkey, buses and minibuses are the most preferred option for interprovincial passenger transportation. Road passenger transport contract Between the articles 906 and 916 of the Turkish Commercial Code, the provisions of the former Law are regulated. Road transports have an administrative legal aspect as well as civil legal aspects. The administrative aspect of road transport is regulated by the Law on Road Transport, Road Transport and Road Traffic Law. But there is no agreement regulating international passenger transport by road.

The most important part of passenger transport by road is passenger transportation by intercity buses. In the legislation, some regulations have been made on the compulsory personal accident insurance for the passengers and on the access of the disabled passengers to the transportation service. However, when the legislation was examined, it was seen that passenger rights were not regulated as a whole. In the European Union, passenger rights are arranged separately according to the vehicle and transportation method the passengers have chosen for travel.

(1) Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights, and repealing Regulation.

(2) Regulation (EC) No 1371/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2007 on rail passengers’ rights and obligations.

(3) Regulation (EU) No 1177/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 concerning the rights of passengers when travelling by sea and inland waterway and amending Regulation.

(4) Regulation (EU) No 181/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 concerning the rights of passengers in bus and coach transport and amending Regulation.

From these regulations, our country has been transferred to our domestic law by issuing Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights, and repealing Regulation. And we will also examine the problems in the framework of this Regulation within the framework of Regulation (EU) No 181/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 concerning the rights of passengers in bus and coach transport and amending Regulation.

EU Regulation 181/2011 has been enacted for the purposes set out in the introduction to the Regulation. The most important of these purposes is to protect the passengers travelling by road within the framework of the transportation contract; discipline the transport sector; to increase the quality of service, to compensate for damages in a possible accident; the responsibilities and training of the employees of the carrier and bus station companies are to protect the rights of the passengers who are disabilities or limited mobility in case of cancellation and delay of the bus expedition. 

Application area of the Regulation; It is arranged in different ways taking into account whether the distance between the departure and the destination and whether the voyage is scheduled or not. The Regulation shall be applied to passengers on the take-off or arrival point within a Member State and on scheduled line service with a planned travel route of 250 km or more. The provisions of the Regulation shall also apply to passengers who receive services such as Charter, provided that the passenger's original departure location or final destination is within the sovereignty area of a Member State.

Within the scope of the bus accident; In case the passenger has died, injured, and the baggage is lost and damaged, the carriers shall be responsible according to the national law of the Member States. The amount of compensation shall be calculated according to the national legal rules. In the case of a bus crash, the carrier also offers reasonable and proportionate assistance in terms of the practical needs of the passengers directly after the accident. This includes accommodation, care, clothes, transport and first aid if required. Providing assistance does not mean that the responsibility is accepted.

According to the Regulation, if the carrier is expected to cancel the bus's departure from the bus station for reasonable reasons or delay more than 120 minutes, or if there is a double booking, some obligations are raised. First of all, the carrier must continue the expedition as early as possible or continue the journey with a modified travel route to the destination without the addition of a price. If necessary, it should allow the first travel to the starting point free to travel back to the starting point specified in the transport agreement as early as possible. If the other options cannot be provided or become useless for the passenger, the carrier must return the fare to the passenger. Also in case of delay (especially more than 30 minutes) the passengers should be informed of the situation. In addition, Regulation 181/2011 does not constitute an obstacle to the demands for indemnity that may be incurred by the due to cancellation and delay in accordance with the national law of the Member States. 

In accordance with Regulation, carriers and bus operators ensure that passengers are informed in a reasonable manner. Carriers and bus operators must inform passengers. According to the Regulation, carriers are obliged to establish a system for the processing of passenger complaints in relation to the rights and obligations determined by the regulation. The complaints to be made by the passengers must be delivered to the carrier within 3 months from the journey or trip plan. The carrier should provide information about the situation within 1 month after the complaint is received and must also provide an answer within 3 months. The Member States must also authorize an institution to monitor compliance with the Rules of this Regulation.

Turkey also has to be made an arrangement relating to road transport. Turkey also should be issued a regulation benefiting from EU law. These regulations should be made with an act in order to protect both the provisions and criminal penalties in accordance with the principle of legality. In other words, these regulations should be regulated by law or by presidential decrees.

Keywords

EU Regulation No 181/2011, Bus Transportation, Passenger Rights.

AVRUPA BİRLİĞİNİN 181 / 2011 SAYILI TÜZÜĞÜNE GÖRE OTOBÜSLE SEYAHAT EDEN YOLCULARIN HAKLARI

Abstract

Amaç: Ülkemizde şehirlerarası yolcu taşımacılığında en çok otobüsler kullanılmaktadır. Genellikle orta ve büyük ölçekli şirketlerin yer aldığı otobüs taşımacılığı şeklinde bir sektör de oluşmuştur. Otobüsle yolcu taşıma sözleşmesinde, daha zayıf taraf konumunda bulunan yolcunun asgari seviyede de olsa korunması gerekmektedir. Otobüs taşımacılığı sektörünün gösterdiği özellikler dikkate alınarak, sektördeki şirketlerin hizmet kalitesi iyileştirilmeli ve yükseltilmelidir. Otobüs kazası sonucunda yaralanan veya vefat eden yolcular ilgili tazminat talepleri Avrupa Birliğine üye ülkelerin iç hukuklarında hali hazırda düzenlenmiştir. Ancak başta yolcuların sigorta edilmesi, engelli yolcuların hizmete erişimi, yolcuların seyahat öncesi ve sonrası bilgi alması, seferin gecikmesi ve iptali hallerinde yolcuların hakları ile yolcuların otobüs işletmeciliği yapan şirketleri şikâyet etmeleri ile şikâyetlerin makul sürede sonuçlandırılması için Avrupa Birliğince 16 Şubat 2011 tarihinde 181/2011 sayılı Tüzük çıkarılmıştır. Böylece AB üyesi ülkelerde otobüsle seyahat eden yolcularla ilgili yeknesak bir düzenleme oluşmuştur. Ülkemizde otobüsle seyahat eden yolcuların haklarına ilişkin özel bir düzenleme bulunmamaktadır. Kısmen Karayolu Taşıma Kanunu kısmen de Türk Ticaret Kanununda bir takım düzenlemeler bulunsa da, AB’ye uyum çerçevesinde bu konuda da özel düzenleme yapılması gerekmektedir. Olası Türk Yolcu Taşıma Kanunu ve buna ilişkin çıkarılacak Yönetmeliklerde AB’nin 181/2011 sayılı Tüzüğünün emsal alınması bakımından çalışmamız faydalı olacaktır.

Yöntem: Çalışmamızda kaynak tarama yöntemi esas alınmıştır. AB’nin 181/2011 sayılı Tüzüğü çevrilmiştir.

Bulgular: Türk hukukunda otobüsle seyahat eden yolcuların hakları özel olarak düzenlenmemiştir.

Sonuç: Çalışmamızda AB’nin 181/2011 sayılı Tüzüğünde düzenlenen yolcu hakları incelenmiştir. Bu Tüzük esas alınarak otobüsle seyahat eden yolcuların hakları kanuni düzenlenmelidir.

Keywords

Avrupa Birliğinin 181/2011 sayılı Tüzüğü, Otobüs Taşımacılığı, Yolcu Hakları

References

• Çelik, Ahmet Çelik, (2008), Karayoluyla Yolcu Taşıma Taşımacının ve Sigortacının Sorumluluğu, İstanbul.Çelik, Ahmet Çelik, (2017), Karayoluyla Yolcu Taşımada Sorumluluk ve Zamanaşımı, http://www.tazminathukuku.com/arastirma-yazilari/karayoluyla-yolcu-tasimada-sorumluluk-ve-zamanasimi.htm, çevrimiçi 20/10/2017.Durgut, Ramazan, (2018), "Havayolu İle Seyahat Eden Yolcuların Haklarının Türk Hukukunda Düzenlenişi", Ankara Barosu Dergisi, ss.191-218.Durgut, Ramazan, (2014), “Yolcu ve Bagaj Taşıması”, 6102 sayılı Yeni Türk Ticaret Kanunu Kapsamında Taşıma İşleri Paneli II - 1 Şubat 2014, Bahçeşehir Üniversitesi, “Taşıma Hukuku ve Sigortaları”, İstanbul Barosu Yayınları, İstanbul s. 125– 129. http://www.istanbulbarosu.org.tr/Yayinlar/BaroKitaplari/TASIMA24102014.pdf.Führich, Ernst, (2015), Reiserecht, 7. neu bearbeitete Auflage, C.H.BECK, München 2015.