Vandalism targets public transport buses in Turku region’s Föli

This week, public transport buses operated by Turku region’s Föli have been targeted by unusual vandalism. According to Kimmo Hakala, the traffic manager for Jalo Liikenne Oy, which runs several Föli lines, at least eight buses have been defaced with graffiti between Tuesday and Wednesday. The affected buses include those from both Jalo Liikenne and Linjaliikenne Nyholm. Linjaliikenne Nyholm’s CEO, Daniella Linqvist, has also confirmed the vandalism, and a police report has been filed. The police have yet to verify the incident.

Hakala suspects the same individuals are responsible and notes that they switch between bus lines to evade detection. “They damage one bus and then hop onto the next. The same tag was used in a neighboring company’s buses,” he described.

The costs of cleaning the buses are substantial, amounting to thousands of euros for the operators. For the eight affected buses, the financial damage is estimated between €8,000 and €10,000. Cleaning companies charge about €80 per hour for graffiti removal, and added costs arise from buses being out of service and needing to rent replacements. Some buses will also require seat replacements due to paint stains.

Föli’s public transport service director, Sirpa Korte, confirmed that the operating contract includes clauses for cleaning, emphasizing that the buses must be presentable as passengers are paying for the service. However, she adds that in cases of this nature, fines are secondary to addressing the vandalism.

Graffiti remains a daily annoyance for operators, and while such widespread defacement is rare, minor tagging occurs regularly. Hakala urges passengers to assist in identifying vandals by reporting incidents to the driver promptly, as immediate intervention could help deter future acts of vandalism.