"Don`t blame employees": Yerevan Metro addresses public anger over  payment issues

ArmInfo.The Karen Demirchyan Yerevan Metro has called on Armenian citizens who face daily issues at fare collection points in the metro and on public transport to refrain from insulting employees carrying out fare  control.

The metro's press service stated that its employees have no  connection with payment functions. "We kindly ask and urge you to  refrain from offensive language and disrespectful behavior toward  employees. For any questions or problems related to payment, please  contact Telcell,"  the Yerevan Metro noted, which has implemented the  system.

It should be noted that an ArmInfo correspondent, who uses both  public transport and the metro daily, encounters numerous problems  related to fare payment and frequently witnesses conflicts between  passengers and drivers. During rush hour, when people are heading to  work or returning home, metro validators often fail to work, even if  passengers reload their Telcell Wallet or attempt to swipe the  barcode through another validator. Metro employees, noticing the  presence of a barcode, take no action other than to advise passengers  to reload the program. Many passengers find themselves forced to pay  with credit cards, incurring additional charges, despite having a  metro travel package. Furthermore, situations often arise where the  program does not open at all and people are forced to purchase  additional QR codes.

Furthermore, videos showing passengers engaging in conflicts with bus  drivers have recently been actively circulating on social media. This  began after the mayor of Yerevan threatened drivers on April 6 with  dismissal or loss of bonuses if they fail to reprimand passengers who  do not pay their fares. As a result, drivers find themselves in a  situation where they are forced to engage in verbal altercations with  citizens, which jeopardizes road safety, as they attempt to collect  fares instead of monitoring traffic.

Furthermore, drivers have begun opening only the front door of buses  during rush hour to verify passenger payment, leading to minutes-long  waits at stops. People board one at a time, creating additional  problems:  buses wait for long periods at stops, and validators on  buses are ineffective, leading to congestion even at the entrance.  Thus, in the face of rising transport prices, the Armenian  authorities have not only failed to improve the quality of services,   but also significantly complicated the lives of residents of the  capital, who are forced to spend hours getting home or workplace,  being in overcrowded buses and the metro, and barely finding room to  put their feet .