There are questions as to why so many prospective drivers are dropping out at public transport company De Lijn, with Flemish MP An Christiaens raising the issue in the regional parliament on Wednesday.
De Lijn will be forced to cut services again next year due to a shortage of bus drivers. Despite a clear increase in applicants over the past few years, from 3,979 in 2020 to 5,698 in the first ten months of 2024, the problem persists.
However, the higher number of applicants does not translate into more hires. Of those invited to assessments, 69% ultimately do not participate. Additionally, another 11.7% drop out during the procedure.
"The exact reasons why so many candidates drop out are unclear," Christiaens (CD&V) said.
"Currently, there is no systematic monitoring in place, which is a missed opportunity. To understand where things are going wrong and intervene effectively, we need to investigate this issue thoroughly. We must reduce barriers and support candidates better to keep them on board."
