Wednesday, May 17, 2017

A self-inflicted "shortage"

The Bus and Coach Association is concerned about the lack of bus drivers:
There's concern a shortage of bus drivers across the country is set to reach an all-time high.

The Bus and Coach Association says it's struggling to find drivers, and it's meaning managers and workshop staff are getting behind the wheel.

Ritchies transport director Andrew Ritchie is normally behind the desk, but even he's been getting behind the wheel.

"At the moment it's sort of starting to hit a peak, it's just getting very very difficult," Mr Ritchie says.


Hmm. I wonder if this has anything to do with it? Or this? Driving a bus is badly paid and has poor conditions - and its getting worse due to the grasping bus companies underbidding on contracts and keeping their profits by driving down wages. Which hardly encourages people to become drivers.

In short, this is a "shortage" entirely of the bus companies' own making. They have the power to fix it themselves, and they should, rather than whining about it.