"7 passengers, 2 jerry cans in the toilet". "Fuel runners" cause queues at the border in Brest

Illustrative photo

Border Telegram chats are discussing "fuel runners" — carriers from Terespol who cross the border primarily for fuel. Judging by the messages, the problem is already directly affecting waiting times in queues, transfers, and the overall atmosphere at the border, BGmedia reports.

Belarusians ride in Polish buses and smell diesel fuel

Chat users report that the situation became particularly noticeable after fuel prices rose in Europe due to the US-Iran conflict. "Diesel got more expensive by a zloty in a week, everyone went to refuel," people write in chats.

According to passengers, because of this, practically empty buses began to appear en masse on the Brest — Terespol route.

"I just boarded in Terespol. There are 5 (!) buses near the station. All are waiting for passengers, taking 1-2 people per bus and heading for the border. This way, they appear to have passengers for the Polish customs or transport authorities, and can carry more diesel, as the driver said. That is, a Terespol — Brest ticket cost 20 rubles). Soon they will be calling people for free, just to get someone to sit down."

Other users confirm: "These are empty buses for diesel. Tomorrow they will form a new queue in the direction of Belarus — Poland of 30-50 buses. Plus they will earn on additional passengers."

Passengers say that for the sake of fuel, carriers are ready to sacrifice people's comfort: "Absolutely true. I traveled yesterday evening on a scheduled Brest — Terespol bus. 7 passengers, 2 jerry cans of diesel in the toilet (it smelled half the bus), the driver bought about 10 bottles of vodka at duty-free, asked passengers to take them apart before customs. Fuel prices in Europe have risen, and the profit margin on diesel will be greater than from passengers. So everyone earns as best they can."

Many also note the quality of such transport: "It was already written here that these are Polish buses from the 2000s with minimal amenities, a smell of diesel in the cabin, and greasy, often broken seats. But it's everyone's choice how to travel. Often, after passing the Poles, passengers are transferred to other, more comfortable transport. Perhaps even from two buses, they are put into this one, which is not shameful to send to Warsaw and won't be arrested by the police upon arrival in Warsaw. Perhaps these are local private drivers from the Terespol and Biała Podlaska regions earning money this way."

Are "fuel runners" to blame for queues when leaving Brest for Terespol?

In spring, the situation became even more tense. People began to wonder if the huge number of buses in the queue before the "Brest" border crossing point was related to holidays and the start of the vacation season: "Good day, tell me, is such a massive accumulation of buses due to May and Easter holidays? Or is the vacation season already beginning and this is a normal situation?"

In response, many explained that the problem was not with tourists at all. "They are standing empty, the queue is artificial, it's the drivers' business," people reply in chats.

According to eyewitnesses, it was precisely such buses that recently created a collapse when leaving Belarus for Poland: "A whole lot of them caused a collapse on April 23-24 in Belarus, refueled with diesel, and went back, simultaneously creating a queue for departure and provoking transfers."

Because of this, disputes regularly arise in chats: what to do with "fuel runners" and whether the situation can be influenced in any way. Some Belarusians are convinced that carriers should be strictly controlled.

"Is there a way to call somewhere to put these 'business-drivers' in their place? This can go on indefinitely, they will keep driving like this, artificially creating a queue, and people will constantly waste both money and time because of them. I won't believe there isn't some authority that could control something like this."

But immediately there are those who respond: formally, there may be no violations: "What are they violating? They have a sign, it's a scheduled bus, it's on its route."

Opponents disagree: "Shouldn't a scheduled bus follow passenger transport rules? Diesel fuel has nothing to do with the route. I believe it's really an inadequate situation that people stand for a long time, overpaying for transfers, because guys decided to transport diesel back and forth for resale. This has been going on not for a day or two, but for a considerable amount of time."

Others believe that the problem is much deeper and can only be solved systematically: "Here you need to call other places to open traffic at the remaining crossings and especially restore trains."

Transport Inspectorate at the Belarusian border will not solve the "fuel runner" problem

A separate issue remains "picking up/transferring" passengers — when passengers transfer from one bus to another already near the border, so as not to stand in line for a long time. Some believe that "fuel runners" have no right to take people on their buses.

"They have no right to take passengers. That's what they violate. Moreover, they have no right to take passengers anywhere in Belarus at all, because most of them don't sell tickets. And without these transfers, they wouldn't be here."

After this, people began to clarify where they could complain:

"If I am to call to open crossings and have trains run again, it definitely needs more than just my call, but calls from other people too."

"Oh, so they are violating something after all. Maybe you know where I can call and complain about this?"

The answer was short: "To the Transport Inspectorate."

However, those who have already encountered similar checks warn that the consequences may not be at all what bus passengers expect.

"There have already been such calls. The situation turned into the following — there were no fewer buses, transport officials stood near the first buses and did not allow anyone to get on. Buses continued to travel for diesel fuel. The result was that then no one could transfer and cross the border in 5-6 hours, and everyone was forced to sit in their buses for 20+ hours. And then those who decided to call and complain were remembered very poorly."

This causes surprise for many: "Strange decision, why didn't they disperse these fuel runners then?"

"How to disperse fuel runners? They are not violating anything. All they can do is check that no one is getting on."

Judging by the discussions, people have no single opinion. For some, "fuel runners" are the main reason for endless queues and transfers. For others, they are only a result of the limited number of border crossings on the Belarusian-Polish border, the absence of trains, and huge passenger traffic.

But almost everyone agrees on one thing: the situation with queues and "fuel runners" has long become a systemic problem affecting thousands of people on both sides of the border.

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