Germany's public transport faces tens of thousands driver shortage

A study by the Institute of the German Economy (IW) for the competence centre for skilled labour security (Kofa) finds that more than 60,000 bus and tram drivers in Germany will leave the labour market by 2041, with around 6,000 retiring each year until 2030. About 40 % of the current drivers are already over 55 years old, and the retiring baby‑boom cohort of 1964 is roughly twice the size of the 2024 cohort.

VDV president Ingo Wortmann says the industry is currently covering most vacancies through hiring quereinsteiger, but this is only a temporary relief. To meet public‑transport growth targets, an additional one‑fifth of drivers will be needed, meaning tens of thousands of new bus, tram and regional‑rail drivers must be recruited nationwide. Failure to do so could lead to more service cuts and schedule adjustments, jeopardising the mobility transition.

The sector is also looking to autonomous buses as a long‑term solution, though larger fleet sizes and financing from federal, state and local authorities would be required. Younger workers favour more flexible hours, adding another dimension to recruitment challenges.