Bus firm recruiting after loss of drivers

BUS drivers in Devon are abandoning Stagecoach in large numbers because of low pay rather than Covid and Brexit, a union representative claims.

The firm issued an apology last week after some services in Torbay and Plymouth saw disruption ‘due to circumstances beyond our control’.

It said a shortage of drivers was caused by Brexit and the pandemic.

But one anonymous Stagecoach employee told the WMN’s sister website DevonLive the real reason ‘drivers are leaving in droves’ is because of poor pay and conditions.

The RMT union, which represents bus workers, agrees. Barry West, regional spokesman, said that while the two national issues may play some part the real problem is drivers being under appreciated by the company.

According to the union, in the last three months alone more than 100 bus workers, mostly drivers, have left Stagecoach in Exeter and Plymouth.

The figures show that since May 26 at least 55 have gone in each city. In Barnstaple the figure is 22 and Torquay 11.

Barry said: “I can tell you a significant and disproportionate number of staff have left the business at Stagecoach in the South West over the last few months. They worked all the way through the pandemic and were hailed as heroes by many for keeping the industry afloat, taking people to hospital and essential meetings and putting themselves at risk so society could maintain some sort of normality in difficult times.

“The likelihood is that some of the issues about shortages are being caused by Covid but how can the company explain 55 staff leaving in Pymouth?”

A spokesperson for Stagecoach South West said: “There is a natural rate of turnover in all sectors of the economy, including public transport businesses, and we are seeing a broadly similar picture to that previously.

“Some issues such as the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic, including the DVLA taking longer to process driving PCV licences, has had an effect on our operation and the phasing of people joining.

“However, we have seen strong demand for jobs with us, including driving roles, with 145 applications currently being processed. We are continuing to recruit in the areas needed to run our operation.”