Only 4,500 of 10,000 Zadar Residents Use Free Public Transport
The largest group entitled to this benefit are people over 65, and the City also funds transport for 635 students.
The largest group entitled to this benefit are people over 65, and the City also funds transport for 635 students.
In Zadar, as many as 10,000 citizens have the legal right to free public transport, yet fewer than half-only 4,500-actually use this benefit, according to data released by Antena Zadar on Friday.
The right to free bus travel with the city's public transport operator, Liburnija, stems from the Social Welfare Decision. The largest group of beneficiaries consists of people over 65 years of age. Additionally, recipients of guaranteed minimum allowance and members of certain citizens' associations can also claim this benefit.
The exact number of users who have activated their right-4,500-was provided to the City of Zadar by Liburnija itself. This has given a clear insight into what percentage of the total number of citizens entitled to free transport actually take advantage of this option.
Beyond socially vulnerable groups, the City of Zadar also covers the transport costs for primary school students from its budget. This right is regulated by the Law on Education in Primary and Secondary Schools, and the City is obliged to provide it.
According to legal criteria, free transport is granted to students from first to fourth grade who live at least three kilometers from school, and to students from fifth to eighth grade whose distance from school is at least five kilometers.
The relevant city department also revealed concrete figures for the past year. During that period, 635 students exercised their right to funded transport. For this purpose, 350,000 euros have been allocated in the city budget for this year, as stated in the revised budget. These funds cover the cost of the monthly student transport pass.
