CDU Urges Action: Shortage of 2500 Bus Drivers

The state parliament of Baden-Württemberg is currently engaged in a heated debate regarding the forecasted shortage of 8,000 bus drivers in the next five years. This predicament has become a significant concern in the state's public transportation system, prompting discussions on various measures to strengthen public passenger transport.

Manuel Hagel, the faction leader, has emphasized the importance of attracting more people to the profession and driving forward innovative concepts such as autonomous driving. Winfried Hermann (Greens), the Transportation Minister, has also pointed out proposals from the Transportation Ministers' Conference that were submitted to the then FDP Federal Transportation Minister Volker Wissing but were not taken up.

Cornelia von Loga, a deputy MP from Baden-Baden, described the Greens' proposals as a "small step." However, Hans-Peter Storz of the SPD praised the Greens' initiative as a concrete approach to attracting additional staff. Hans Dieter Scheerer (FDP) has called for joint action from federal and state governments to address the issue.

The debate includes the need to address issues beyond just obtaining a driver's license to make the profession more attractive. Silke Gehricke (Greens) mentioned that a driver's license costs around 14,000 euros in their region, while it costs only 4,000 euros in Austria. To make the profession more appealing, stronger support for companies in recruiting staff domestically and internationally, and overcoming language barriers are needed.

The CDU in the State Parliament of Baden-Württemberg is dissatisfied with the Greens' proposals, particularly in attracting bus drivers. In response, they have proposed a more comprehensive package of measures to strengthen public passenger transport. Miguel Klauß (AfD) spoke of "knife-skilled workers," which prompted a warning from State Parliament Vice-President Daniel Born (SPD) to moderate his tone.

Austria demonstrates that fewer mandatory hours do not lead to more accidents, according to Silke Gehricke (Greens). The search results do not provide information about an organization in Austria offering a cheap bus driver license nor the cost of the bus driver license in Germany.

The CDU's comprehensive package includes innovative concepts such as autonomous driving, which is being considered as part of the debate to strengthen public passenger transport. The parliament is yet to reach a consensus on the best course of action to address the impending bus driver shortage and ensure the continuity of public transportation services in the state.