News Kyoto bus operator faces critical driver shortage

The Kyoto Municipal Transportation Bureau has declared a state of emergency due to a severe shortage of bus drivers. This is the first time such a declaration has been made. The bureau aims to raise awareness of the crisis and its impact on the city's bus services. Since a major timetable revision in June, drivers have been working excessive overtime and holidays to compensate for the reduced workforce. Despite needing 880 drivers to maintain current operations, there was a shortage of 50 as of 1 September. The bureau attributes the shortage to a decline in recruitment success since the pandemic, as evidenced by the recent recruitment exam, where only 44 candidates applied for approximately 70 openings. With no immediate prospects of filling these vacancies, the bureau faces a significant challenge in providing adequate bus services.

Of the 810 city buses, 40% are outsourced to private companies for operation. To avoid competition for existing drivers, the hiring of full-time employees from fiscal 2024 has been limited to those without a class 2 large motor vehicle driver's license. About 40 drivers are expected to leave their jobs alone this fiscal year, and nearly 10 retire yearly. The bureau needs an additional 158 drivers to improve working conditions, such as increasing the number of holidays. As an emergency measure, the bureau will hold its third recruitment exam this fiscal year in November, aiming to hire approximately 70 new drivers. It will also explore measures to prevent employee turnover.

Click to expand...