Operators Call for Urgent Contract Changes

Private bus companies serving the Barcelona metropolitan area are calling for reforms to public procurement rules, warning that without action, financial sustainability and service quality are at risk. Executives from Tusgsal, Avanza Mobility Catalunya, and Moventia made the appeal during the fourth edition of the BCN Desperta! forum held at Casa Seat in Barcelona. Carles Fàbregas, general director of Tusgsal, described the sector as practising "apnea" but in urgent need of "air", a reference to the financial strain caused by fixed contract prices despite soaring inflation since 2020. Rising fuel and vehicle costs, combined with increased demand due to recurring disruptions on Rodalies commuter rail services, have squeezed operating margins.

Despite the challenges, the legal framework does allow for periodic price revisions under certain conditions. Article 103 of Law 9/2017 on Public Sector Contracts provides for predetermined and justified price adjustments in line with Royal Decree 55/2017, which implements Spain’s 2015 de-indexation law. In Catalonia, the Contract Pricing Committee of Catalonia is responsible for assessing cost structures when price revisions are requested. Contracting authorities must seek an evaluation report from this body before adjusting prices, as required under Decree 118/2023 and Instruction 1/2020.

Shift Needed from Cost to Quality Bidding

Josep Mª Martí, president of Moventia, argued that current tendering processes prioritise low bids over service quality, creating a race to the bottom. He urged public administrations to adopt a quality-price logic in contracting, ensuring operators can maintain decent working conditions and reliable services. Guillermo Ríos, director of Avanza Mobility Catalunya, called on city councils, the Generalitat, and the State to take responsibility for safeguarding both service continuity and operator viability. While Barcelona has its own public operator, TMB, smaller municipalities in the metropolitan area depend on private firms like Tusgsal, Avanza, and Moventia for essential transport links. Martí stressed that mechanisms already exist under public procurement law to apply price revisions and called for political will to implement them effectively while longer-term reforms are pursued.

"We need open dialogue with the Administration to provide transport services with the resources they need to guarantee the universal right to mobility," said Carles Fàbregas.

The executives agree that immediate steps must be taken to prevent further deterioration in service and financial health, warning that without intervention, operators may be unable to continue providing stable, quality transport for residents across the metropolitan area.

Reported by metropoliabierta.cat.