personal need - Acute personnel shortage: Bahn recruits part-time locomotive engineers
"Short-Term Personnel Shortage" or "Increased Absence Rate" is displayed on the information board at the train station: In North Rhine-Westphalia, particularly during vacation seasons, a large number of trains are experiencing unexpected cancellations. The labor shortage poses significant challenges for the industry and puts a strain on the nerves of railway customers. Due to the increasing need for locomotive drivers in the coming years, the Landesprogramm Fokus Bahn is focusing on a new group: part-time workers who can at least steer a locomotive for a few hours a day. The first course for part-time trainees to become locomotive drivers or locomotive engineers is set to begin in the fall.
What are the expectations of Fokus Bahn for the part-time project?
The industry is desperately seeking qualified applicants who are willing to train for the job in the locomotive. "Flexibility is in high demand in times of labor shortages," says Heinrich Brüggemann, project manager of the Landesprogramm Fokus Bahn, which brings the efforts of the state and eleven railway companies together. Employers must pay more attention to the wishes and needs of applicants. "With the part-time offer, we are opening up a large pool of well-educated labor forces," says Brüggemann. "It is likely that most of these people will be women who could enter the profession this way." So far, the railway industry has had great difficulty attracting women as locomotive drivers.
How does one become a Locomotive Driver?
Most locomotive drivers do not undergo a traditional apprenticeship in the railway industry but come from another profession and train with a one-year course. The curriculum includes theoretical instruction, followed by practical training: shunting, operating on tracks, and customer contact. Those who have completed the conversion will receive an entry-level salary of around 4,000 Euros including bonuses, and the job is guaranteed until retirement, according to Fokus Bahn. The part-time conversion will take 16 months, and the trainees only need to learn for five hours a day. The first course is scheduled to start in October.
How severe is the shortage of locomotive drivers in NRW?
There are approximately 3,000 locomotive driver positions at regional trains and S-Bahns in North Rhine-Westphalia, of which around 350 are currently vacant. According to industry estimates, about 20% of locomotive drivers will retire by 2027. At the same time, the personnel requirement is expected to increase by about 15%. The railway industry has recognized that it needs more employees in all areas and as soon as possible, says Brüggemann.
What consequences does the labor shortage have for railway passengers?
The reliability of regional trains and S-Bahns in North Rhine-Westphalia reached a new low point last year. One in every seven trains was completely canceled in 2023, according to the quality report for rail transport in North Rhine-Westphalia. Besides numerous construction sites, labor shortages among locomotive drivers are a major cause of this. North Rhine-Westphalia Transport Minister Oliver Krischer (Greens) offers little hope to railway customers that the situation will improve soon. "We are paying the price for a wrong prioritization in the past," he said about the report's findings.
How does the industry plan to address the situation long-term?
For the past five years, the eleven railway companies in North Rhine-Westphalia have been pooling their efforts in the Focus Bahn project for personnel recruitment. The North Rhine-Westphalia state government supports this with millions in funding. The project particularly aims to target new groups of workers: 200 migrants who have come to Germany in recent years were qualified as locomotive drivers - with language courses included. With the part-time project, Focus Bahn now hopes to make the industry more attractive to women, as the job in the locomotive has traditionally been a male domain.
What concretely does the industry expect from part-time workers?
For many railway companies, part-time models are still "unchartered territory," says Bruggemann. Since locomotive drivers have to travel relatively far from their place of residence during their workday, it is not entirely straightforward for them to return to their starting point for their evening shift after shorter part-time workdays. "On the other hand, we can use additional forces for a few hours during peak hours, when many commuters want to go to work or return home. This could provide relief for urban areas in particular." This could alleviate pressure in densely populated areas during peak hours.
Focus Bahn Tender
- To tackle the labor shortage, Fokus Bahn expects the part-time project to attract a large pool of well-educated individuals, mainly women who can contribute as part-time locomotive drivers or engineers.
- Due to the ongoing labor shortage, most locomotive drivers in North Rhine-Westphalia do not have a traditional apprenticeship but instead complete a one-year conversion course, including theoretical instruction and practical training.
- The labor shortage in North Rhine-Westphalia has led to over 350 vacant locomotive driver positions at regional trains and S-Bahns, with estimates predicting a 15% increase in personnel demand by 2027.
- The unreliability of regional trains and S-Bahns in North Rhine-Westphalia reached a new low point last year, with one in seven trains being completely canceled, mainly due to labor shortages among locomotive drivers.
- In an effort to address the long-term labor shortage, the Focus Bahn project has been pooling the efforts of eleven railway companies in North Rhine-Westphalia for five years, with the support of the state government's funding.
- The industrial strategy includes targeting new groups of workers, such as migrants recently arrived in Germany, who have been qualified as locomotive drivers following language courses.
- To support urban areas during peak hours, Focus Bahn plans to use additional part-time forces for a few hours, providing relief in densely populated regions where commuters need to travel to work or return home.
