Lack of bus drivers a ‘mega problem’, minister says

Cyprus has a “mega problem” in its lack of bus drivers, according to Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades.

He made the comment while speaking to parliament’s Transport commission, where he also said that bus companies had described the current lack of drivers as “insurmountable”.

The commission was discussing a bill drafted by Dipa member of parliament Marinos Mousiouttas which would allow EU citizens to be hired as bus drivers in Cyprus provided that they can present a clean criminal record from their current country of residence.

Mousiouttas agreed with Vafeades that Cyprus’s lack of bus drivers had become “obvious” and said that the government’s aims of encouraging more people to use public transport will be helped by the passing into law of his bill.

Vafeades said that the government’s plans for “door to door” school buses will see a need for 40 new bus drivers in its first phase and a total of 200 should it be rolled out in all the public schools in Nicosia and Limassol.