"We therefore also ask for flexibility from schools, parents and students" - Arno Haasterecht, director of Trevvel.
The new school year has only just begun and the first problems are immediately under a magnifying glass for the Rotterdam student transport service Trevvel. Because Rosalie does not know whether her son Milan will be picked up on time, there is mainly stress in the house and she has her story recorded in the media. Many companies are still trying to find enough drivers, and that is not easy.
They'll be back in the next few weeks, from all over the country. The complaints, in most cases about long waiting times or drivers not showing up. Annabel van Gestel (PZC) also notes that the Rotterdam transport company will suffer from the shortage on the labor market for a while. They therefore demand flexibility from schools, parents and students.
drivers
Many transport companies have problems filling rosters at the start of the new school year. Lack of drivers in the sector ask for understanding and above all respect for the drivers who are now used for student transport. The work of a taxi driver is still too often underestimated and deserves a lot of respect from the parents. The shortage of drivers has become a major problem in the taxi industry. Due to a lack of drivers, rosters cannot be filled in optimally, resulting in problems in the implementation of contracts with the municipality.
politicians
A spokesperson for the Rotterdam alderman says that many complaints have indeed been received about Trevvel in recent days. In addition to the personnel problems, the transport company also started with a new software system at the start of the new school year. That can also be a reason that they still have to adjust the transport and routes. Every distressing case is one too many, but it is not the drivers themselves. They get everything over them and work hard to get everything done as well as possible.
The problem is deeper. During the corona crisis, drivers in many taxi companies have left en masse. Others, especially the self-employed, gave up and stopped their business. This is having repercussions now that transport is picking up in full force to normal transport numbers as before. A major staff shortage!
