Personnel offensive

No more emptiness behind the Postbus wheel in future

Gehri (left) and Zumtobel (right) with bus drivers Zinar Jakup and Sanela Thurner, who followed the personnel offensive.

(Bild: Nicole Greiderer)

To counteract the shortage of drivers, Postbus has launched a personnel offensive. Regional Manager Wolfram Gehri and Provincial Councillor for Mobility René Zumtobel have now taken stock - and the results are quite positive.

The Postbus headquarters in Innsbruck. Around one and a half years ago, a very similar press conference took place at the same location as on Thursday: it was about the search for employees. This time, however, they were invited to take stock of the measures presented at the time: around 50 new drivers were recruited for Tyrol. "We're fully staffed," enthuses regional manager Wolfram Gehri.

Nobody is deliberately late. Appreciation is important.

Mobilitäts-LR René Zumtobel

Paid driver's license, employees from abroad
The fact that the company can now even consider expanding is thanks to special offers for employees. For example, applicants get their driving license paid for. They can either complete it while they are still working in their old job or while they are already working at Postbus.

Another idea is international: This winter, for example, ten Spaniards were behind the wheel of ski buses. In summer, they drive coaches in their home country; in winter, they had no work until now. Postbus also employs nine mechanics from Tunisia in the workshop. "Of course, you have to take care of accommodation, integration, etc. We've managed that," says Gehri proudly. He knows that offers are needed for the employees - for example with bonuses for driving at night or on ski buses.

Safety for bus drivers will be a major issue in future
The state is also aware of this and is helping to make the profession more attractive - with the abolition of shared services, a low-cost public transport ticket or a hardship fund. State Councillor for Mobility René Zumtobel (SPÖ) also wants to take up the cudgels for the treatment of bus drivers: "Nobody is late on purpose. Appreciation is important." Zumtobel announced his intention to integrate the aspect of self-protection - especially for night bus drivers - into bus driver training in future.