- Transport companies employ students as tram drivers
Public Transportation operators in Germany are combating their staff shortages by hiring students as tram drivers. For instance, in Mannheim, Magdeburg, Dresden, and Nuremberg, young people are being employed as tram drivers. "Staff is in short supply, and every lever is being pulled to overcome these shortages," says a spokesperson for the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV). Additionally, there's a political desire to expand the service with an eye towards climate protection, traffic safety, and mobility transition. "Companies are preparing to actively recruit for jobs in the labor market," the spokesperson adds.
The Rhine-Neckar Transport Company (rnv) in Mannheim has been using students as temporary drivers since the 1990s. Although the training is shortened from four to two months, the content remains the same as for career changers. The company spends approximately 20,000 euros per person on training, according to personnel chief Steffen Grimm. The base hourly wage for all drivers is 18.56 euros, well above the statutory minimum wage of 12.41 euros.
The rnv has around 1,200 tram drivers and 25 student drivers in operation. The VDV does not have an overview of the number of student drivers nationwide, but there are approximately 17,300 tram drivers across the country.
In response to the nationwide staff shortage in the transportation sector, other cities besides Mannheim, such as Magdeburg and Dresden in Germany, are also employing students as tram drivers. The Rhine-Neckar Transport Company in Germany, specifically in Mannheim, has been utilizing student drivers as temporary drivers since the 1990s, contributing to their workforce.
