Dărăşti
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Dărăşti is a commune in the south of Ilfov county, Romania, 20 km from the national capital, Bucharest. The commune, with a population of 2935 people, is mainly inhabited by low-income families, many of which commute to Bucharest for work but live in the locality due to cheaper housing. According to the 2002 census, 100.0% of the population are ethnic Romanians.
[edit] Transport
Until July 2005, Dărăşti had been served by public bus route 433 from Bucharest, run by RATB, the capital's bus operator. After July 2005, however, RATB suspended all of its outer-suburban routes in Ilfov county, including Route 433 to Dărăşti, citing lack of profitability on these routes. This resulted in the routes being licensed out to private operators. The Dărăşti-Bucharest route was contracted to Atlassib, a Romanian bus company which operates internationally. Atlassib has been accused by the residents of Dărăşti for doubling prices, despite the fact that RATB prices were heavily subsidised.
In October 2005, this led to a number of revolts by the residents of the Dărăşti, many of which refused to pay the fare, physicially-abused drivers and controllers, and damaged the buses, causing losses of 200,000 new lei to Altassib. This has led to the introduction of security guards on Dărăşti services, and in bus stops alongside the route, making the Dărăşti-Bucharest route the only route in Romania that necessitates this type of security. On October 10, 2005, Gândul reported that the threats and assault against Atlassib employees increased, prompted by a price rise of more than 30% that Altassib maintains was only caused by a need to recover losses on the route. This had led many to believe that the bus service may soon by totally suspended, leaving the locality without any public transport links with Bucharest and further exacerbating Dărăşti's social problems.
In 2006, RATB reintroduced Route 433 services from Bucharest to Dărăşti, and the city is now once again connected to the capital's public bus network.
[edit] External link
- Gândul: "Terrorists" on the Bucharest-Dărăşti bus route (Romanian language article, 10 October 2005)
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