Cork driver 'fatigue' one of the main reasons why Bus Éireann is 'losing staff' says employee

Cork drivers working with Bus Éireann have identified numerous issues which they say are contributing to the company’s ongoing difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff, with a knock-on effect on bus services.

“Talking with colleagues, the biggest thing I hear... is fatigue and tiredness,” driver Sean Buttimer told The Echo.

“The shifts change so fast from late to early shifts that your body has trouble adapting to a new sleep pattern.”

Mr Buttimer said that in his opinion this is “one of the main reasons why the company is losing staff”.

“Drivers come in and a few weeks later they are nowhere to be seen — they leave because they cannot hack the shifts,” he said.

A Bus Éireann spokesperson told The Echo: “Driver shift-pattern rotations are set and published in advance and are agreed with the trade unions.

“Bus Éireann drivers are offered a secure job with a competitive salary and terms and conditions, including pension, GP scheme, travel scheme, and recognition awards for long service, safe driving, etc.”

“We have an employee engagement rate of 72%,” the spokesperson added.

Recently, The Echo revealed issues with antisocial behaviour on buses, with drivers saying they had been spat at, had rocks thrown at them and had to deal with urination and defecation on buses.

Mr Buttimer shared, “A major issue I have with the company is if I am threatened or assaulted on duty then I have to first fill in an incident report form and request the CCTV footage be downloaded.

“Then once I view it I have to go to the gardaí and make a complaint and then they come up to Capwell and view it and they decide if it should go further,” he said, explaining, “The process needs to be streamlined to make it easier for the driver to get the matter sorted.”

He added, “I have more or less given up filling in incident report forms for verbal abuse towards me because it is so commonplace and because most times I have filled a form in for verbal abuse I have heard nothing back.

“Why bother if I’m not going to hear back from management?”

A former driver, who had left the company due to stress, said: “I wouldn’t recommend this job to anyone.”

A Bus Éireann spokesperson told The Echo, “Bus Éireann does not tolerate antisocial or criminal behaviour on our services.

“The safety of our staff and passengers is of paramount importance to Bus Éireann and any reported incidents are taken very seriously and are fully investigated.”

All Bus Éireann staff have access to employee supports including an assistance programme and chief medical officer, they said.

“We encourage drivers to communicate any issues/concerns via local supervisors and management, and their health and safety representative,” they said, adding that the company meets with these groups and with unions.

Security features/procedures in place on buses and stations include a direct communications link to 24 hour control centres so they can immediately alert supervisors or gardaí to issues, security screens on buses and security personnel at larger stations, as well as mobile patrols when required.

“The extent of both static and mobile security coverage has been increased and is something we continually monitor,” the spokesperson said, adding that CCTV is in operation at stations and externally and internally in vehicles.