Railroad - Complaints pile up due to problems with train services
Train services are often not running smoothly at the moment. Canceled or delayed trains, unmanned signal boxes and replacement bus services seem to be almost an everyday occurrence. The number of complaints has risen significantly over the past five years, according to the Hesse state association of the passenger association Pro Bahn. "This year, we are expecting at least a doubling," explained state chairman Thomas Kraft.
There are problems in all parts of the state, including unmanned signal boxes. These problems are unacceptable, said Kraft: "This has never happened in such a blatant way in almost 190 years of railroad history, if we exclude the world wars." The association is calling for professions such as train dispatchers to be classified as systemically relevant, similar to the healthcare professions. If a signal box is down for days on end, for example in Mainz-Bischofsheim, the largest freight station in Hesse, supply chains throughout Central Europe are delayed.
Deutsche Bahn cites staff shortages and increased sickness rates as the reasons. Train drivers, dispatchers and maintenance staff are highly specialized and cannot easily be deployed elsewhere in the event of bottlenecks. In addition, there are numerous construction sites.
Recruitment is difficult, as in other sectors. However, there is a "massive" increase in personnel in order to strengthen the railways and offer better quality. In 2023, a five-digit figure will be recruited and trained. This is also planned for 2024. At the same time, standardization, automation and digitalization will be driven forward.
The S-Bahn trains in the Rhine-Main region continue to lag behind their punctuality target. As of the end of November, the figure remains at around 88%, as the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV) announced on request. This means that, on average, 12 out of 100 trains did not reach their destination on time. Trains that are at least six minutes overdue are generally considered to be late. The reasons for this are an overloaded rail network, numerous construction works, staff shortages, short-term sick notes and the unpunctuality of long-distance services.
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- Many commuters are faced with frequent issues such as canceled or delayed trains, which has resulted in an increase in complaints to the Hesse state association of the passenger association Pro Bahn.
- The ongoing problem of unmanned signal boxes in various parts of the state, as mentioned by Thomas Kraft, the state chairman of Pro Bahn, is a significant concern, with Kraft stating that it's never been this bad in almost 190 years of railroad history, excluding the world wars.
- Amidst these problems, Deutsche Bahn cites staff shortages and increased sickness rates as the main reasons for the disruptions in train traffic, highlighting the importance of specialized personnel like train drivers, dispatchers, and maintenance staff.
- Pro Railroad, similar to the healthcare professions, is advocating for these roles to be classified as systemically relevant, ensuring their availability even during instances of staff shortages or prolonged signal box downtimes like in Mainz-Bischofsheim.
- Despite the challenges, the railroad is planning to strengthen its workforce with a five-digit recruitment and training initiative in 2023, aiming to improve the quality of its services, while also promoting standardization, automation, and digitalization.
Source: www.stern.de
