De Lijn CEO Under Fire: A Transit System with 6.9 Million Captains
“We’re bobbing like a little boat on the water, with 6.9 million captains on shore.” That is how Ann Schoubs, CEO of De Lijn — the Flemish public transport company — described her predicament in a candid interview with De Morgen, as the company faces a perfect storm of crises: a deadly school bus accident, a government-imposed improvement trajectory, and relentless budgetary pressure.
The Buggenhout Tragedy
On May 26, 2026, a school bus operated by subcontractor ‘t Ros Beiaard for De Lijn was struck by a train at a level crossing in Buggenhout, East Flanders. The impact killed four people: the 49-year-old driver, a 27-year-old supervisor, and two students aged 12 and 15. Five other students were seriously injured. According to VRT NWS, the train was traveling at 90 km/h at the moment of impact; the barrier was down and the light was red.
The tragedy was compounded by revelations that complaints about the driver’s behavior had existed before the accident. A 2024 complaint about his attitude — though not specifically about unsafe driving — was resolved between the school and the bus company. A second complaint about his driving only came to De Lijn’s attention six days after the accident via email from the subcontractor.
Schoubs defended the company’s oversight, telling De Morgen: “Every morning 2,100 buses go out with 45,000 students: we cannot be personally present for every trip to check.”
Matters worsened when, just three days after the fatal crash, another bus from the same subcontractor ran a red light and crossed the same level crossing with barriers down — raising serious questions about subcontractor oversight.
Government Imposes Improvement Trajectory
On June 3, the Flemish government imposed a formal improvement trajectory on De Lijn, citing issues with financial transparency, reporting, and passenger communication. Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder (N-VA) was blunt: “I am not the CFO of De Lijn, but the financial reporting must improve. Period. This cannot be repeated,” as reported by De Morgen.
The improvement trajectory targets several areas, including “a tighter management” in preparing decisions and professionalizing communication with passengers, where “various bottlenecks” were identified.
Schoubs, however, downplayed any tension with the government. “Not at all. My relationship with the cabinet is good. The points for improvement that were raised were already on our radar anyway,” she said.
The Budget Squeeze
Underlying the political drama is a fundamental financial challenge. De Lijn’s government subsidy was cut by €27.5 million in 2025. The company operates on approximately €1 billion in subsidies plus €300 million in own revenue — yet costs for student transport alone exceeded the allocated €139 million by €11 million last year.
“Actually it’s simple: our subsidy does not cover what is asked of us,” Schoubs told De Morgen. “Then the logical question is what people actually want.”
Speaking to VRT NWS, she was even more direct: “The fat is completely out of the soup. We cannot perform magic. There is a lot of commotion about the savings in our offering, but we cannot deliver more than we have resources for.”
Despite the pressures, De Lijn carried 372.9 million passengers in 2025 — down just 0.07% from 2024. Revenue from fines for fare evasion rose 30% to €10 million, and the company ended the year with a narrow €20,000 surplus.
Service Cuts Loom
Starting July 1, 2026, more than 40 bus lines will be eliminated and nearly 300 others will have reduced service, following an earlier elimination of 3,200 stops. As De Morgen reported, the cuts have sparked protests from local governments across Flanders, with some transport regions formally rejecting the plans.
Minister De Ridder has pushed ahead regardless, arguing that “too many empty buses” are running across Flanders. The cuts are designed to meet a €35.5 million savings target imposed by the government, plus an additional €8.5 million in internal savings.
A Question of Priorities
The crisis facing De Lijn points to a broader policy question for the Flemish government: either increase funding for public transport or accept reduced service. Schoubs’ central argument — that the company’s budget no longer matches what is expected of it — has resonated with critics who argue the government is squeezing the system while demanding it perform better.
When asked whether further savings were possible, Schoubs was unequivocal: “No. Not on top of the other savings the government has already imposed. The government must ask itself whether that is realistic.”
What’s Next
Schoubs’ mandate runs until January 1, 2027, and she declined to comment on whether she hopes for an extension. Meanwhile, the investigation into the Buggenhout accident continues, and the July 1 service cuts are set to take effect amid ongoing political tensions.
The fundamental question — can De Lijn deliver reliable, safe public transport on a shrinking budget — remains unanswered. As Schoubs put it, the company is a little boat on the water, and 6.9 million Flemings are all trying to steer.