Cork bus driver shortage having a 'significant impact' on ability to meet service demands

A consistent shortfall of around 10% in bus driver numbers in Cork City is said to be having a “significant impact” on Bus Éireann’s ability to meet current passenger demands and to improve services.

Latest figures show that, as of the end of July, there was a shortfall of 54 drivers in the Capwell Depot in Cork city, with 19 drivers in training, leaving a deficit of 35.

The information was obtained by Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould who held two public meetings in Cork city this week to discuss issues with the bus service.

Realistic requirement

In the document from the NTA, the authority stated that, based on discussions held with Bus Éireann over many months, a total of 520 drivers is believed to be the “more realistic requirement for all current services running in Cork for 2024 to serve all current services in Cork city”.

Based on this figure, the NTA said driver shortfall has “consistently been closer in real terms to c10% than c5% for the year 2024”, and that this has had a “significant impact on the ability of Bus Éireann to meet current passenger demands and scheduled services within Cork City, as well as precluding the implementation of planned service improvement measures”.

Reviewed

Over the course of 2023 and into 2024, the NTA said all bus routes within the Cork city and hinterland region were reviewed.

It was determined that certain routes in Cork City “needed further attention to enhance on-time punctuality and reliability performance”.

“To date, it is acknowledged that limited improvements have taken place, although the NTA is working collaboratively with Bus Éireann to address these issues as soon as possible,” the NTA document stated.

The authority said discussions on the issues arising in Cork City take place every week as they are being treated “with the highest priority for both organisations”.

Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central Thomas Gould said while recruitment is clearly an issue, he is concerned retention might be a bigger one.

Mr Gould said he believes a number of factors, including driver shortages, traffic congestion, and “dealing with increasingly frustrated passengers” is making the job “less and less attractive for those currently trained and working on our buses”.

“This week I held two very successful public meetings,” he said.

Across two evenings in Blarney and Glanmire, over 80 people turned up to discuss their own experiences of the bus service.

Crying

“One woman in Glanmire spoke of losing a full day’s pay because she arrived so late to her shift when the bus didn’t show up, while another told us about her daughter, in her first year of college, crying at the bus stop in the cold and rain wishing she could get home.

“People in Glanmire and Blarney were clear — they’re not looking for a more frequent bus route, they just want a more reliable service.

“That surely doesn’t require more drivers, it just requires better planning and a timetable that reflects reality.”

A spokesperson for Bus Éireann said: “There has been service delivery issues on some of our routes in Cork in recent times and we do apologise for customers who have been inconvenienced.

“This is owing in large part to two factors: congestion and staffing issues.”

The spokesperson said traffic congestion is an operational challenge Bus Éireann is “increasingly encountering”, adding that there is “very limited bus prioritisation outside of Dublin”.

Recruitment

Regarding recruitment, the spokesperson said Bus Éireann is continuously carrying out recruitment campaigns and that it has established a B to D driver training school in Cork to support those with car licences to gain their bus licence.

“We continue to undertake extensive advertising campaigns and would encourage anyone with an interest in joining Bus Éireann to log on to careers.buseireann.ie,” the spokesperson said.

“We are also offering a €2,000 sign on bonus to D licence drivers in Cork for a limited time (must start before the end of September),” the spokesperson added.