Sytral, Lyon’s transport authority, and Keolis, its main operator, have embarked on an intense campaign to recruit and train bus and tram drivers, in order to overcome an unprecedented shortage of personnel. This week, a promotion of thirty-seven drivers joined the staff of Lyon public transport (TCL), after ten days of training provided internally.
These are experienced bus drivers, who already have a driving license and have gained experience in other transport companies. At the same time, a promotion of six candidates, including five women, is undergoing training for a month and a half to drive the tram. Among them, a nurse’s aide and a lawyer who wanted to retrain in “a new and attractive profession”said one of them. “The tram is the future in Lyon, I wanted to be part of the evolution”says Delphine Harerimana, 40, a former employee in the food industry.
All the candidates responded to the new discourse of the Keolis company, which promises a solid social framework, opportunities for development and an ongoing dialogue to reconcile work and family life. The incumbent operator in the Lyon region recently created an “integration manager” position, which enables it to support each new employee for one year. “The idea is to develop the corporate culture, that they feel at home. We have to invent ourselves to make our jobs attractive and retain our staff” says Thomas Fontaine, CEO of Keolis Lyon.
Reduced frequency
As everywhere in France, the Lyon region is desperately looking for bus and tram drivers. In Lyon, nearly 300 employees are missing, out of a total workforce of 3,700 drivers. This deficit of almost 10% has a direct consequence on the operation of transport in the second largest city in France. Since September, the frequency of buses has been reduced by 9%, and that of trams by 2.5%.
The lack of staff declared itself suddenly, after the period of the Covid health crisis. The hundred temporary workers, usually employed within the TCL, chose to seek employment elsewhere, further from the city. They never came back. Added to this is a wave of retirements, caused by an aging age pyramid, and an increased need for drivers, knowing that the network is expanding, with 23 kilometers of new tram lines. For the Lyon authority, the challenge is enormous: we must hope to recruit 500 new drivers by the end of 2023!
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