Rights and obligations of passengers

RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF PASSENGERS

1. Every citizen, and especially people with disabilities or reduced mobility, is entitled to board and use public road transport without any direct or indirect discrimination, by paying the fare specified by law. Exceptionally, to comply with applicable safety requirements specified by international, community, or national law and the health and safety requirements set by the competent authorities, or in cases where the design of the vehicle or the infrastructure, including bus stops and terminals, makes it impossible for the person with a disability or reduced mobility to board, disembark, or be transported safely and feasibly, the refusal of reservation, issuance, or provision of a ticket in another manner to, or the boarding of individuals due to disability or reduced mobility is permitted.
2. A regular or occasional passenger, on an urban or rural line with an EMEL bus, subject to reduced fares for social reasons, buys the legal, as applicable, fare for the corresponding route without additional cost due to any disability or reduced mobility, and without any direct or indirect discrimination based on their nationality.
3. A passenger is entitled to submit to the competent carrier, if desired, a complaint, request, or protest regarding the transportation service provided, as well as suggestions for the improvement and upgrade of the transportation services provided.
4. A citizen, whether a passenger of EMEL buses or not, may, if desired, submit a report or complaint for violation of the rights specified in this article and for violation of EMEL’s obligations as a provider of public passenger transport in the Limassol geographical area to the competent bodies as applicable.

Traveling with Small Children

Children up to six (6) years old must be accompanied by a person responsible for their safe transportation. For the safe transportation of children using a baby/child stroller on urban regular routes, it is recommended that the accompanying person boards/alights from the door with the relevant signage. Transport the baby/child stroller folded. In cases where this is not feasible or the accompanying person prefers to transport the child in it. When the number of strollers and only if the driver considers that the vehicle’s capacity allows it. In any case, the accompanying person must:

• Place the baby/child stroller in a way that does not obstruct the passage and movement of other passengers within the vehicle.
• Stay close to the baby/child stroller, hold it, and generally ensure that no injury or disturbance is caused to other passengers.
• Ensure the stroller has brakes applied.

Traveling with Animals

The transport of small pets is allowed under strict conditions, at the passenger’s responsibility and at the discretion of the driver or other authorized staff of the carrier, depending on the vehicle’s capacity conditions and passenger safety (with the exception of guide dogs for the blind, which are allowed and EMEL buses have special places for passengers with visual impairments with guide dogs with the required signage), provided that:

• They are placed in a secure, closed-type transport cage with dimensions up to 70 cm x 40 cm x 50 cm.
• They are accompanied by their owner or handler.
• The owner or handler carries the pet’s health book/passport to show if requested. The owner or handler stays close to the animal and ensures that no injury or disturbance is caused to other passengers. They place them in the free spaces of the vehicles, away from aisles, passenger entry-exit points, and ticket validation points to ensure the safe transportation of other passengers. Specifically, assistance dogs, i.e., trained guide dogs for the blind and assistance dogs for people with disabilities, as well as dogs in training as assistance dogs, are transported as follows:
• Without a transport cage and without a muzzle, provided they have a handling leash, regardless of their size.
• The user or trainer, as applicable, of the assistance dog carries and shows, whenever requested by EMEL Inspectors or authorized officers of the Department of Road Transport, the legally required documents certifying the animal’s training adequacy (whether trained or in training), its health, and that the user or trainer has the relevant certification and proof of use of the animal. The above applies also in the case of a user or trainer who is an EU citizen or a third-country national. The user or trainer, as applicable, of the assistance dog must ensure the cleanliness of the vehicle and the unobstructed passage and movement of other passengers within the bus.

Bicycle Transport

In EMEL buses, the transport of bicycles is allowed, at the passenger’s responsibility and at the discretion of the driver or other authorized EMEL staff, depending on the bus’s capacity conditions and passenger safety, as follows:

• Exclusively the transport of foldable bicycles with wheel sizes up to 50 cm (1/2 meter) is allowed. To ensure the safe transport of passengers and avoid any injury, these bicycles must be transported in a special storage/hand luggage bag from which no mechanical parts protrude.
• If transport conditions within the bus do not permit, the driver may refuse the boarding of a passenger with a bicycle. In any case, the owners of transported bicycles (foldable and non-foldable) must:
• Stay close to them and ensure that no injury or disturbance is caused to other passengers.
• Place them in the free spaces of the buses, away from aisles, passenger entry-exit points, and ticket validation points to ensure the safe transportation of other passengers.
• Give priority to persons with disabilities and reduced mobility, the elderly, and generally to people who need special attention and do not obstruct their access.

E-Scooter Transport

In EMEL buses, the transport of Light Personal Electric Vehicles (LPEVs) scooters (e-scooters) is allowed, at the passenger’s responsibility, as follows:

• The transport of exclusively foldable scooters with maximum dimensions of 110x50x20 cm, without protruding mechanical parts, is allowed.
• If transport conditions within the bus do not permit, the driver may refuse the boarding of a passenger with a scooter. In any case, the owners of transported scooters must:
• Stay close to them and ensure that no injury or disturbance is caused to other passengers.
• Place them in the free spaces of the buses, away from aisles, passenger entry-exit points, and ticket validation points to ensure the safe transportation of other passengers.
• Give priority to persons with disabilities and reduced mobility, the elderly, and generally to people who need special attention and do not obstruct their access.

Transport of Luggage and Other Items

In EMEL buses, the transport of luggage and other items is allowed, at the passenger’s responsibility and at the discretion of the driver or other authorized EMEL staff, depending on the bus’s capacity conditions and passenger safety, as follows:

• Small-sized luggage (hand luggage, backpacks, etc.) should be held by hand, not carried on the shoulders, or placed on seats.
• The dimensions of larger luggage should not exceed 100 cm x 60 cm x 25 cm, their weight should not exceed 25 kg, and the length of other transported items should not exceed 1.70 m.
• Luggage and other transported items should be placed in the free spaces of the buses, away from aisles, passenger entry-exit points, and ticket validation points to ensure the safe transportation of other passengers.
• Luggage holders must stay close to them and ensure that no injury or disturbance is caused to other passengers.
• The transport of dangerous, flammable, sharp, poisonous, dirty, or foul-smelling materials, and generally items dangerous to passengers’ physical integrity, is not allowed.
• If transport conditions within the vehicle do not permit, the driver may refuse the boarding of a passenger with luggage or other items.
• In any case, carriers are not responsible for the theft or loss of passengers’ personal belongings during transport.