Overview
- EBS has told Flevoland, Gelderland and Overijssel it can no longer absorb losses from the IJssel‑Vech t concession and has formally opened talks requesting financial support to avoid future service risks.
- The three provinces have confirmed discussions and warned provincial councils that continuity could be threatened in the medium term but said buses will not stop immediately.
- Since taking over in late 2022 EBS has faced heavy operational problems that led to fines, including €3.5 million for 2023 and further penalties in 2024, and has invested in extra buses, staff and electric charging capacity to improve reliability.
- Unions and some politicians blame an underpriced tender and call for procurement reform while other operators say wider post‑COVID ridership drops, rising costs and limited grid capacity for EV charging have left many contracts unsustainable.
- Officials and experts say options now include conditional provincial funding, stricter enforcement of contract terms, or re‑tendering the concession — each choice could affect passengers, drivers and the region’s long‑term transport costs.