De Lijn Standardises Fine Policy for Drivers

Flemish public transport operator De Lijn has introduced a uniform fine policy for its bus and tram drivers across Flanders, ending decades of regional disparities in how traffic violations are handled. Under the new rules, drivers will be reimbursed for up to three minor speeding violations per 12-month period, while serious offenses such as driving under the influence remain entirely the driver’s responsibility.

Ending a 35-Year Patchwork

The policy, announced on June 8, 2026, resolves a long-standing inequity that dated back to De Lijn’s formation in 1991 from five separate provincial transport companies. Each predecessor company had its own collective labour agreements with unions, resulting in vastly different arrangements for handling traffic fines across Flanders.

According to Het Laatste Nieuws, the disparities were stark. In 2024, drivers in Limburg paid 47 percent of their fines themselves, while colleagues in Antwerp paid just 13.5 percent. West Flanders (24 percent), the Brussels periphery (31 percent), and the Leuven-Mechelen region (33 percent) fell somewhere in between.

“Depending on where a driver drove, in the old system they paid more or less themselves,” said Flemish Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder (N-VA), as reported by HLN.

How the New Policy Works

The uniform system creates a tiered approach based on the severity and frequency of violations:

• Minor speeding violations (up to 10 km/h over the limit): De Lijn covers the first three fines per 12-month period. From the fourth minor violation, the driver pays the full fine themselves.
• Serious speeding violations (more than 10 km/h over the limit): De Lijn covers one fine, provided the driver does not commit a second serious violation within the following 12 months. If they do, the driver must pay both the first and second fines.
• Excluded offenses: Fines for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and for using a mobile phone while driving, remain entirely the responsibility of the driver.

Political Pressure and Parliamentary Action

The push for standardisation gained momentum in June 2025, when the three Flemish majority parties — N-VA, Vooruit, and CD&V — jointly submitted a resolution to the Flemish Parliament’s Mobility Committee demanding a uniform system. As VRT NWS reported, the contract between De Lijn and the Flemish Government, valid until 2027, already contained a clause requiring the company to develop a “uniform, equal, fair, and awareness-raising fine system.”

“A bus driver is a bus driver, whether they get a fine in Limburg or in Antwerp, it’s not fair that one should pay more than the other,” said Els Robyns (Vooruit), a member of the Flemish Parliament.

Rising Fine Costs

The new policy comes against a backdrop of rising traffic fines for De Lijn drivers. In 2023, drivers accumulated a record €173,000 in fines from over 2,500 violations — a 16 percent increase from the previous year, with 9 out of 10 cases involving speeding, according to VRT NWS. By 2025, the total had risen to €203,000, with De Lijn paying €140,000 and drivers covering approximately €63,000.

Union representatives have attributed the high number of violations to tight schedules that pressure drivers to maintain punctuality. “When you’re on Flemish roads every day, with traffic that gets more difficult and congested every day, the risk of fines is simply there. We’re all human,” said Jo Van der Herten, a union representative for ACV, as reported by VRT NWS.

Balancing Safety and Fairness

Minister De Ridder emphasised that traffic safety remains paramount. “Those who safely transport thousands of passengers every day bear a great responsibility in traffic. Traffic safety must always come first, for drivers, passengers, and all other road users,” she said.

However, safety organisations have expressed concerns. As Business AM reported, groups such as Vias and Ouders van Verongelukte Kinderen have warned that reimbursing fines could undermine road safety and driver accountability. They have suggested that De Lijn should focus on monitoring repeat offenders and offering mandatory safety training instead.

Broader Financial Context

The policy change arrives during a challenging period for De Lijn. The company faced a €27.5 million reduction in government subsidies in 2025 and closed its fiscal year with a narrow surplus of just €20,000. It has also been grappling with a driver shortage and ongoing discussions about service cuts.

What’s Next

The uniform policy is expected to improve driver recruitment and retention, particularly in regions like Limburg where the previous system placed a disproportionate financial burden on drivers. However, questions remain about how the policy will affect overall violation rates and what the estimated annual cost to De Lijn will be under the new system. The company will also need to address safety organisations’ concerns about the potential moral hazard of reimbursing fines.