Bus association: shortage of skilled workers jeopardizes transport turnaround

Local traffic - Bus association: shortage of skilled workers jeopardizes transport turnaround

Local public transport is in a dilemma: on the one hand, services are to be expanded, but on the other, there is already a massive shortage of drivers. According to the state association of Hessian bus companies, around ten percent of jobs are unfilled, with around 1,000 vacancies on the roads in Hesse alone. The situation is no better on the railways. "I see this as a threat to the transport turnaround," Volker Tuchan, Managing Director of the State Association of Hessian Bus Companies based in Giessen, told the German Press Agency.

Due to staff shortages, the city of Frankfurt, among others, has announced that it will be cutting back on bus, train and streetcar services. Tuchan fears that other cities and districts could follow suit. This would be particularly painful in rural areas: "If the bus comes every twelve minutes instead of every ten minutes in the city, that's different to if a bus that runs once an hour is canceled."

The main reason for the staff shortage is the general lack of skilled workers, said Tuchan: "The market has been swept clean across Europe." Another hurdle for newcomers is the high cost of obtaining a driver's license and the necessary qualifications, which can be up to 10,000 euros. And not everyone can cope with having to work nights and weekends. Tuchan does not expect the vacancies to be filled quickly.

Retirement will exacerbate the situation

The situation will probably get worse when the many older drivers retire at the same time in a few years' time. To counteract this, Tuchan hopes that immigration from outside the EU will be made easier and that the cost of training will fall.

According to information from the Federal Association of Local Rail Transport (BSN), to which the two large Hessian local transport associations RMV and NVV also belong, the member companies are short of around 1700 drivers across Germany. BSN President Thomas Prechtl would also not be surprised if the service soon had to be reduced across the board.

"If we don't succeed in recruiting enough staff for the profession of train driver as quickly as possible, it will only be a matter of time before the service has to be reduced by more than five percent "as planned" instead of the current individual personnel-related shortfalls," he said in November.

In the view of the BSN, it would not be a good idea to try to make the job more attractive by reducing working hours: "A reduction in weekly working hours would lead to an even higher demand for drivers and thus increase the risk that fewer rather than more trains will run in future."

Relaxed staffing situation for buses in East and Central Hesse

In the local public transport system operated by Stadtwerke Gießen and its subsidiary Mit.Bus GmbH, there are currently two vacancies for bus drivers with around 170 employees, as a spokesperson explained on request. "Yes, the time of year has an impact on staffing levels," explained the spokesperson, but did not provide any more specific details. The timetables in Giessen will also be changed in December, and the services available at that time can be covered by the existing staff. "We are currently not experiencing any journey cancellations due to staff shortages," said the spokesperson.

"The bus companies in the RhönEnergie Group are not short of staff," a spokesperson said. They have 350 drivers with 226 buses in the districts of Fulda, Hersfeld-Rotenburg and Main-Kinzig. This is a sufficient number of drivers. All bus routes will be operated at the usual frequency, and no changes are necessary or planned. "For us, too, it takes more effort than before to recruit qualified employees, but we have always succeeded so far - also because we are considered an attractive employer in the region," explained the spokesperson.

KVG: tackling the problem with initiatives and acquisition

Kasseler Verkehrsgesellschaft (KVG) has reported significantly higher sickness rates among its drivers and in other areas. Services could therefore not be staffed or only with great difficulty. "We already had to reduce the timetables of some lines several times last year and unfortunately we are still unable to offer 100% capacity," explained a spokesperson. However, every passenger can still reach their destination, albeit by choosing a different line. "We are currently trying to avoid further timetable adjustments."

KVG is tackling the problem with various acquisition measures and initiatives, the company explained. A new company agreement, for example, includes the payment of a bonus based on length of service, extended break times and payment for travel and changing times.

Pro Bahn: staff and training have been cut for years

The passenger association Pro Bahn Hessen sees a widespread shortage of staff at railroad companies. According to spokesperson Klaus Zecher, the reasons for this have a long history. In tenders, for example, the transport companies that made the cheapest offer prevailed. Savings were made on personnel and training. There is a high level of strain on existing staff. There are often short-term shifts in working hours, making it difficult to plan time off. "This leads to an increased sickness rate," said Zecher.

He added that the working conditions are also leading to the departure of specialist staff. In order to counteract the staff shortage in the medium and long term, Pro Bahn believes that qualified training and good social standards are necessary, which should be anchored in tenders.

Federal Association of Local Rail Transport State Association of Hessian Bus Companies