How to adapt the transport service to the complaint system

How to adapt the transport service to the complaint system

If you are the owner of a commercial transport agency you should know that from 1 January 2022 it will be mandatory to implement a series of measures to give all users the opportunity to make a complaint, regarding the service offered if necessary. The new legislation was approved by the Transport Regulatory Authority with the resolution 28/2021 containing "Measures concerning the minimum content of the specific rights that users of rail and bus transport services can demand from the managers of the services and related infrastructures with regard to the processing of complaints".

Where should I communicate this information?

The transport service managers must communicate all information through the following channels:

1. in the general transport conditions, creating a new section called "Complaints"
2. in the service charter, where its adoption is envisaged, in a dedicated section called "Complaints"
3. in the stations and on board buses
4. on the website, in a dedicated section accessible from the home page, via a specific link called “Complaints”

Accessibility of the service manager's complaint procedures

As mentioned previously, transport service managers must guarantee the availability of a complaints processing mechanism easy to access and in digital form, as well as giving the possibility to send the complaint in the form of a paper document. In particular, transport service managers will have to provide themselves, if they do not have one, with a website and insert asection dedicated to complaints. The link to this section must also be particularly visible on the portal home page.

On the landing page, all available channels must be specified in order to send the complaint. For example, a complaint can be sent:

• By registered mail, indicating the destination address
• By e-mail address, indicating the reference e-mail address
• Through a form to be filled out online

Users must be given the opportunity to view the content not only in Italian but also in English. Furthermore, it is advisable to also give them the opportunity to download the paper version of the form, in case they choose not to use the online form.

What data is needed to approve a complaint form?

The manager of a transport service can approve the complaint only if the form is completed in its entirety. The data necessary to approve the complaint are:

• User identification data: name, surname, contact details;
• Identification data of the trip in question: date, departure time, origin and destination, booking code or ticket number;
• Reason for complaint
• Refund payment method, if due