Lack of drivers in Brno: students patch potholes, people from the office drive on weekends
In the last five months alone, eleven drivers of this carrier retired. It is precisely because of retirement age that the largest part of drivers leave the company. “Recently, in connection with the increase in prices, we have encountered the fact that drivers from the vicinity of Brno, who were commuting, found a place in the locality of their residence. Although for a lower wage, they will save on commuting,” said Hana Tomaštíková, spokeswoman for the transport company.
The Brno-based carrier wants to entice drivers and drivers who hold a group D driver’s license and a valid group D driver’s professional qualification card for a motivational recruitment allowance of up to one hundred and fifty thousand crowns. “Our next condition is that they stay with us for four years. We will therefore pay them on an ongoing basis. They will receive the first installment of seventy-five thousand crowns right after the trial period,” said Havránek. The transport company will pay them the rest of the incentive allowance in two further installments. On the basis of offers of a recruitment allowance for “ready-made” drivers, two applicants had already contacted us on Thursday.
From the tram to the gravel: drivers from Most help in Brno, learn the tracks and new words
According to the statistics of the Association of Transport Companies of the Czech Republic, the total number of missing drivers in urban public transport in recent months has been around five hundred, and this does not include only bus drivers. “It is a problem that affects not only the Czech Republic, but also the whole of Europe,” informs the association’s spokesperson Linda Hailichová.
According to her, in some Czech cities they had to make minor adjustments to the timetables. “For example, to extend the intervals between connections. However, all transport companies are trying to make adjustments in such a way that the impact on passengers is minimal,” Hailichová told Deník Rovnost.
Overtime and temporary workers
The Brno transport company is managing the situation so far. “Primarily thanks to the overtime of regular drivers and part-timers. These are, for example, university students who obtained the necessary driving license during the holidays or our driver who is already retired. Some office workers also go on weekends,” Tomaštíková listed.
Other transport companies also offer recruitment allowances. According to Hailichová, for example in Prague, Ostrava or Pardubice. In České Budějovice, interested parties are also attracted to office apartments.
Don’t take overtime: a drivers’ protest has started in Brno public transport. How will it affect traffic?
The representatives of the Brno transport company are now examining the possibility of economic support for commuter drivers. “At the moment, we can install the possibility of using a hostel and overnight accommodation, we are discussing other variants of support for drivers outside of Brno,” explained Tomaštíková.
RegioJet has also been aware of the problem with the lack of bus drivers for several years. “After covid, the situation is still getting ready, because many drivers have not returned to their profession. We are not missing anyone at the moment. At the finish line, from June to mid-September, the situation was different. We were missing around thirty drivers,” noted the executive director of RegioJet bus transport, Dita Tomešová. The company focuses primarily on loyalty bonuses.
According to spokesman Tomáš Beránek, Flixbus currently has a full complement of drivers on national and international routes. “It’s also because the summer season is over. Part of the lines therefore operate in a more limited off-season frequency,” he explained.