site.btaIf Trapped amid Sofia Transport Strike, Raise Your Hand at the Bus Stop

As a strike paralyzing Sofia’s above-ground public transport system went into a third day on Friday, and with no quick solution in sight, people are trying to take care of the situation through public campaigns organized via social media.

Mutual aid groups on Facebook, some of them borough-specific, are offering ride-share options.

One of the initiatives is about car sharing under the motto “Raise your hand at the bus stop.” It encourages people who find it hard to move around the 1.2 million population city to seek help from strangers.

The idea is that a distressed pedestrian can stand at a bust stop and wave their hand to the driver of a car passing by, in the hope of getting a ride. For their part, drivers are asked: “Slow down as you approach a bus stop. You see someone waving at you? Pull over. Ask them where they need to go. Let them hop in. Help them get there.”

The appeal ends with: “Keep Sofia moving forward.”

Public transport workers in Sofia are protesting for higher pay. As talks with the Sofia Mayor - whom they hold responsible for finding a solution - and the Finance Ministry reach a deadlock, they are threatening to escalate their actions into a full-blown, indefinite strike that would also affect the underground train service.