Bus companies struggle to fill driver shortage

Bus companies are scrambling to find enough drivers to carry out the planned routes amid a shortage which clashes with the upcoming school year.

Business development manager at Cyprus Public Transport, Alex Kamberos, told the Cyprus Mail on Friday they were preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.

“The law to allow for hiring bus drivers from abroad was only passed in mid-July and you can imagine it is very difficult for people to be recruited and relocate at such short notice.”

With summer being peak tourist season, drivers abroad are likely to be in employment and less likely to drop everything and leave.

“All bus companies have a problem. Demand has increased but we have the same number of employees.”

Kamberos said they were hard at work trying to recruit personnel and mitigate any problems, but if that did not happen imminently, then they would inevitably have to make adjustments.

This could mean cutting down on certain routes, to ensure there are enough drivers, though everything is being done to avoid that, he added.

“Winter is coming so things might be better. It may be difficult in the beginning, but we don’t expect the problems to last in the long-term.”