Aleppo – Mohammad Deeb Bazt
Public transport services in Aleppo close their doors at midnight, forcing dozens of workers to walk back home from their workplaces or sleep in workshops and factories.
The absence of buses and minibuses at night and the suspension of transport lines require workers to traverse long distances, often exceeding two hours, amid dark roads and neighborhoods lacking basic services, or pay high fares for private taxis ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 Syrian pounds.
Walking… A harsh option
Mohammad Farah works at a café near the Aleppo Citadel. He told Enab Baladi that sometimes he does not have enough money for a taxi fare, so he has to walk from his workplace to the university dormitory in the al-Furqan neighborhood.
He added that his daily income does not exceed 50,000 Syrian pounds, and the taxi fare can reach up to 25,000 pounds, questioning how he can bear that cost.
This option, although seemingly necessary, is fraught with risks, especially in the dark neighborhoods at night and back roads, amidst fears of theft or assault.
Meanwhile, Safwan, a 56-year-old who works in a pastry and pie shop, said his salary does not allow him to take taxis, and for several months he has been used to walking home accompanied by a number of his colleagues, according to what he told Enab Baladi.
He mentioned that minibuses are unavailable after midnight, forcing him and his colleagues to walk from New Aleppo (Halab al-Jadidah) to the Salah al-Din neighborhood, making it even more difficult in winter.
Juma Mari, one of the workers interviewed by Enab Baladi, pointed out that walking home after a long workday means more fatigue and less time to rest or spend with family, saying, “It’s a daily depiction of the exhaustion we live through.”
Mari added that transportation costs have become a significant burden on his monthly budget; if he has to take a taxi every day, he would spend half of his salary, while public transport does not operate when his work ends. He considers the taxi fare itself a burden, costing 3,000 pounds.
Sleeping at the workshop to reduce expenses
In other cases, some are forced to sleep in the workshop or factory until the morning hours to benefit from public transport during the daytime. However, this overnight stay is involuntary; workers sleep wherever they can, often in storage rooms or back corners of workshops, without beds or any comfort, yet it remains “less costly” than walking home or paying for a taxi.
The nighttime transport halt reveals a deeper crisis related to low wages. The average worker’s income is insufficient to secure safe transportation after a long workday. Mari mentioned that there would be no problem taking a taxi if his daily wage were, for example, 150,000 pounds.
According to what Enab Baladi recorded, taxi fares in Aleppo range from 15,000 to 35,000 Syrian pounds per ride, while the average weekly income of a worker does not exceed 400,000 pounds.
In the same context, Abu Farouk, a worker in one of the restaurants, stated that nighttime transport is not a luxury but a necessity to protect the dignity of workers and ensure their continued presence in the labor market without incurring compounded health or psychological costs.
Darkness and diesel… Drivers’ excuses
A minibus driver working on the Salah al-Din line justified nighttime halts by saying that the price of diesel is high and darkness poses a danger. If there are no passengers on the return trip, drivers incur financial losses; for this reason, most drivers finish their work before midnight to avoid any loss or issues.
On the other hand, some factories and restaurants provide private transport for their employees after the nighttime or even morning shift, often through small vehicles that take them to the nearest residential point.
Workers interviewed by Enab Baladi requested the extension of public transport hours beyond midnight or the allocation of special lines for night shifts, especially in industrial areas and remote neighborhoods.
Some suggested activating a public transport system overseen by municipalities or unions, which would have nominal fares and serve workers and casual laborers.
Nighttime public transport halt disturbs Aleppo workers Enab Baladi.
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