As the shortage of transit workers for route buses in Gyeonggi Province deepens, the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly is moving to enact an ordinance to address the labor shortage. From supporting the acquisition of Class 1 large vehicle licenses to systematic training programs, proactive measures are expected to stabilize public transportation.
Severe Labor Shortage Raises Concerns of Public Transportation Paralysis
Gyeonggi Province is currently experiencing a severe shortage of transit workers for route buses (city and village buses). According to data gathered by Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Member Kim Young-min (People Power Party, Yongin 2), as of the end of April this year, the total number of transit workers required for route buses in Gyeonggi Province was 33,157 (25,734 for city buses, 7,423 for village buses). However, only 27,186 workers were secured (22,195 for city buses, 4,991 for village buses), indicating a shortage of approximately 5,900 workers. This figure represents about 17.8% of the total required workforce. This labor shortage not only directly causes inconvenience to residents using public transportation, such as reduced bus operations and increased waiting times, but also raises concerns about the long-term instability of the overall public transportation system.
The aging of bus drivers, poor working conditions, and low wages are combining to stagnate the inflow of new personnel and accelerate the departure of existing workers. In particular, despite bus drivers playing a crucial role in serving as the "feet of the citizens," the job involves significant physical and mental burdens, including accumulated fatigue from long hours of driving, irregular working hours, and dealing with passenger complaints, making the recruitment difficulties even more severe.
Key Contents of the Transit Worker Training Support Ordinance
To overcome this crisis, Assembly Member Kim Young-min has introduced the "Gyeonggi Province Route Bus Transit Worker Training Project Support Ordinance." This ordinance aims not only to simply increase staffing but also to establish a systematic foundation for training high-quality transit workers and creating a stable working environment for them.
The main contents of the ordinance are as follows:
Support for Class 1 Large Vehicle License Acquisition: Financial support for the acquisition of a Class 1 large vehicle license, a prerequisite for entering the bus driving profession, will lower entry barriers and reduce the burden on potential transit workers.
Transit Worker Training Education: Systematic educational programs will enhance professionalism by providing not only practical driving skills but also training in safe driving and service mindset. This is expected to improve the capabilities of new transit workers and contribute to better service quality.
Support for Transit Company Internships: Support for on-site training at actual transit companies will help new personnel quickly adapt to practical work and improve their proficiency.
Promotion of Transit Worker Training: Promotional activities will be strengthened to improve public perception of bus driving as a profession and spread a positive image, attracting more talented individuals.
Workforce Management and Job Placement Programs: Beyond just training, systems for workforce management and job placement will be established to ensure that trained individuals can stably secure employment with transit companies and work long-term. This will contribute to creating a sustainable workforce supply structure rather than a one-time support.
Furthermore, the ordinance includes a provision mandating the establishment of a "Basic Plan for Route Bus Transit Worker Training Projects" every five years for the systematic implementation of transit worker training. This basic plan must include the basic direction of the training project, a survey of the current state of transit workers, plans for education, training, and training system establishment, and criteria for selecting support recipients. This is expected to enable predictable and consistent policy implementation.
Cornerstone for Public Transportation Stabilization
Regarding the purpose of introducing this ordinance, Assembly Member Kim Young-min explained, "It is to provide a legal basis for securing route bus transit workers, which are representative public transportation, and for projects to train high-quality transit workers." The stable supply of bus drivers, who serve as the "feet of citizens," is directly linked to the quality of public transportation services in Gyeonggi Province, making this ordinance highly significant.
The ordinance proposed by Assembly Member Kim is scheduled for deliberation and approval at the 385th extraordinary session, which will be held from July 15th to 23rd. If this ordinance is passed and leads to concrete projects, Gyeonggi Province is expected to take a significant step forward in resolving the severe bus driver shortage and further providing stable and convenient public transportation services to its residents.
Attention is now focused on what changes this ordinance will bring to solve Gyeonggi Province's bus driver shortage and create a better public transportation environment.
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