KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 — Malaysia is facing a severe shortage of 5,000 bus drivers, with some operators, especially in express and tour services, struggling to assign two drivers for long-haul routes.
Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali, president of the Pan Malaysia Bus Operators Association (PMBOA), recently told Sinar Harian that the shortage has reached a critical level, and attributed the cause to bureaucracy, highlighting the high costs associated with obtaining a Class E licence and vocational permits.
But Malaysia is not alone in grappling with this issue, and other countries are facing similar challenges, often driven by an ageing workforce.
Malay Mail takes a look at how they are addressing this issue.
Singapore
In neighbouring Singapore, the shortage spans several subsectors, with the industry facing difficulties attracting younger workers due to low wages, long hours, and the stigma as a dull, “low-class” job associated with the profession.
The ageing driver population is also a factor, as older drivers retire and there aren’t enough younger recruits to replace them.
However, some transit companies have begun revising their remuneration structures, offering higher wages or attractive bonuses to entice younger workers into the field, according to Singapore-based news outlet Channel News Asia.
Career progression opportunities are also being introduced, making the profession more appealing.
Japan
In Japan, an ageing workforce is at the heart of the bus driver shortage, with the average age of a Japanese bus driver now 58.3 years.
As Japan’s birth rate continues to decline, the gap left by retiring drivers is becoming harder to fill, contributing to a 20 per cent driver shortage.
Until recently, Japan was reluctant to hire foreign workers to fill the gap, but a shift in policy now allows up to 24,500 foreign nationals to work as drivers from now until 2028.
China
The world’s second most populous country China faces an even more severe shortage, with the International Road Transport Union (IRU) estimating a shortfall of approximately 4.9 million bus drivers by the end of 2023.
The ageing workforce is a major driver of this shortfall, alongside a lack of younger drivers and a gender imbalance, with just 5 per cent of truck drivers being women.
The EU
In the European Union, the bus driver shortage is similarly tied to an ageing workforce, with more than 40 per cent of bus and coach drivers over the age of 55.
The IRU reported a 54 per cent increase in unfilled driver positions from 2022 to 2023, with fewer than 3 per cent of bus and coach drivers under 25.
Additionally, only 16 per cent of bus and coach drivers in Europe are women, well below the transport sector’s average.
