POSs on buses, banks confirm tariffs/ Transport Association requests cost coverage

2026-06-11 14:16:00, Aktualitet CNA

POSs on buses, banks confirm tariffs/ Transport Association requests cost

The public transport service continues to remain in confusion over the implementation of the POS/POI service on buses, a service that allows citizens to pay for bus tickets with a bank card.

The main problems for not starting the implementation of this service remain the cost of paying for bank commissions and the technical conditions for installing equipment, including the establishment of internet service and the cost of their maintenance.

The National Association of Urban Transport previously, through a letter addressed to second-tier banks in the country, requested information on equipment installation fees, maintenance costs, commissions that will be applied to each transaction, as well as the possibility of offering preferential tariffs for the public transport sector.

The National Association of Public Transport has learned that some of the second-tier banks have begun responding to operators' requests confirming the implementation of previously announced commission rates.

The association had previously announced that the fees communicated by banks for the use of POS terminals include: Commission for transactions with national VISA/MasterCard cards: up to 2.70% for each transaction; Commission for international cards: up to 3.20% for each transaction; Fixed fee for each transaction: 30 lek / 0.30 euro; POS terminal installation fee: 5,000 lek; POS terminal monthly maintenance fee: 1,000 lek/month; POS terminal non-use fee: 1,000 lek/month; Cost of the POS terminal in contractual cases: up to 50,000 lek; Commission for "chargeback" procedures: 500 lek per case.

The banks have also confirmed the concern previously raised by operators regarding the additional costs required to operate this service, starting with the installation of the internet, which is currently missing on public transport buses.

"The operation of the service relies on a connection via the mobile network, via SIM card or Wi-Fi, enabling secure data transmission and real-time processing of each transaction," the banks explain.

The President of the National Association of Public Transport, Kostandin Foni, told Monitor that once the 13 banks operating in the country have responded, their details for the service will be requested, and a roundtable discussion will be held with state institutions and the Municipality of Tirana to cover the cost of commissions for bank ticket transactions. /Monitor