Transportation firms need to temporarily limit their operations.

The job market. - Transportation firms need to temporarily limit their operations.

Many German transportation companies experience occasional service shutdowns due to a lack of workers, according to a poll conducted by the VDV industry association. The survey studied 135 businesses between March and April. Nearly 43% of them reported canceling journeys last year because of employee shortages.

Buses, trams, and subways are encountering a shortage of drivers all over Germany. Seven out of ten transportation firms said the need for staff increased in 2023 compared to the previous year, per the survey. The VDV anticipates that the lack of qualified workers will become more severe.

One reason for the shortfall is the age of drivers, which is relatively high, at 51 on average. Per the survey, these companies will need to replace around 25% of their drivers by 2030 due to retirement. The VDV estimates that 4,000-6,000 workers will retire annually. At present, there is a shortage of 20,000 bus drivers alone.

Will things improve in the future?

The transportation industry also finds itself dealing with this issue in terms of infrastructure changes: To attract more passengers to buses and trains in the future, transport companies must increase their services. This will necessitate more staff. The businesses expect the need to grow by 20% by 2030.

Fortunately, the industry is experiencing some positive news: VDV President Ingo Wortmann noted a growing interest from job-seekers in working for bus and train companies and a higher overall number of applicants. Almost 75% of the surveyed firms hired more employees in 2023 than in the previous year.

To combat the shortage of skilled labor, transportation companies aim to increase their appeal - for example, by offering competitive work schedules. Right now, only 12% of employees work part-time, and less than 20% are women. VDV is also considering hiring foreign workers more aggressively. There is still much potential for recruitment in this area, Wortmann added. Both drivers and non-drivers, such as engineers and IT specialists, are being actively sought after.

Read also:

1. Despite the growing interest from job-seekers, German transportation companies continue to face a significant personnel bottleneck, particularly in the recruitment of bus drivers and specialized personnel like engineers and IT specialists.
2. The German labor market is struggling to meet the demands of public transport companies, with a skills shortage leading to temporary operation limitations for numerous transport firms.
3. To overcome the labor market challenges, the VDV is exploring various solutions, such as offering competitive work schedules and actively recruiting foreign workers, in addition to seeking out more women and part-time employees.
4. In response to the transportation industry's staffing needs, many German transportation companies reported an increase in hiring new personnel in 2023 compared to the previous year.
5. With the retirement of around 25% of its drivers by 2030, the transportation sector is anticipating an even more severe shortage of qualified workers, likely reaching 4,000-6,000 annual retirements.
6. This bus and railroad labor market crisis is affecting cities across Germany, including Berlin, with traffic and public transport services being impacted by a lack of skilled personnel, resulting in occasional service shutdowns.

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