It's a Driver's Market in Germany: Half of Public Transport Drivers are Ex-Pros and Face Challenges
Majority of Commuters on Trains and Buses in Germany are Individuals Seeking Professional Shifts - More Than Half of Bus and Train Operators in Germany are Multi-Modal Transport Workers (According to a Survey)
A whopping 100,000 bus drivers call Germany home, yet a hefty shortage of 20,000 trails within the public transport sector alone, according to the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV). The train driver shortage paints a grimmer picture, reaching a startling 40,000 drivers, with a lack of 3,000 taking the coveted spot. "Gotta deal with some serious personnel issues owing to demographic hurdles, particularly when it comes to driving staff," Harald Kraus, VDV's personnel committee chairman, spelled out.
Packing forward-thinking work conditions and a touch of class from the passengers are viewed as vital elements in transforming the gig into an appealing career. A survey reported that a million-plus drivers grapple with balancing their work schedules, private life, and traffic stress, with the latter viewed as a significant burden.
Nearly 51% of the respondents rated their profession's social image as salvageable at best, casting a shadow over factors like work hours and low compensation. Still, driving pleasure and job security were the top deciding factors for over two-thirds of respondents, while 47.3% were keen on proximity to their residence.
VDV, paired with the digital consultancy Nexum, conducted this survey on 1,425 industry employees.
While Germany grapples with job scarcity, factors impacting the appeal of driving professions here may parallel trends across Europe and the UK. Lowering the minimum age for train drivers could attract a younger crowd, providing earlier career opportunities [(2), (3)]. Enhancing salaries, work-life balance, and offering secure parking and a solid career path may boost job appeal. Expanding diversity within the workforce and building public esteem for these roles through advocacy can also boost interest.
Aging workforces and a sluggish influx of new drivers contribute to this debacle, similar to the circumstances faced by the UK. Introducing policies such as reducing the age for train drivers, providing training subsidies, and heightening job appeal via better working conditions and development paths may prove beneficial for Germany.
The results of the survey conducted by VDV and Nexum reveal that over half of the bus and rail passengers in Germany are newcomers, indicating a potential pool of candidates for the transportation industry. To address the driver shortage, enhancing salary packages, improving work-life balance, and offering secure parking could make transportation careers more appealing, thereby attracting more newcomers.
){kind=link}