Traffic association
Most bus and train drivers are career changers
The lack of bus and train drivers is great. The industry already lacks around 20,000 employees. The negative picture that many of the profession has does not help.
According to an industry survey, more than half of the approximately 140,000 bus and train drivers in Germany come from other professions. Almost 46 percent of the respondents had completed their first training in the traffic industry, the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) and the digital advice Nexum said, which initiated and carried out the survey among drivers of buses and trains.
“Over 54 percent of those surveyed came to the industry as career in the sidewalks,” it said. “The processes for applying, familiarization and qualifications must be more geared towards this target group.” A digital address and modern corporate culture is particularly important for those interested in the age of 30. Politically, qualification hurdles would have to be dismantled, for example by simpler acquisition of the bus driver’s license or more flexible requirements for language skills.
The traffic industry lacks a large extent. There is already a gap of around 20,000 drivers. In the bus and tram service alone, around 6,000 retired every year.
One problem is also the bad reputation of these professions. The image of the bus and train driver profession rated more than half of the respondents as “rather negative” or even “very negative”. Almost 20 percent see a more or very positive picture. The employees therefore miss appreciation and respect for passengers. They criticize unfavorable working hours and too low payment.
The VDV emphasized that better security cooperation with the authorities and an appreciative corporate culture. Between November 2024 and January 2025, more than 1,400 driving service employees were interviewed.
dpa
Source: Stern
