NE driver shortage
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A REPORT just prepared for the transport committee of Tyne and Wear Council shows a shortage of bus drivers in its area of between 10 and 15 per cent. The Tyne and Wear PTE has a shortage of 11 per cent in its drivers and 8 per cent of conductors. United Automobile Services is 10 per cent short of drivers and Northern General is 15 per cent down.
The report says that the problem was mainly one of retaining staff but there was no single reason for the deficiencies. Unsocial hours was one of the main reasons staff left. In recent years oneman operation had improved the staffing situation. The PTE's services were 55 per cent one-manned while the figure for the National Bus Company subsidiaries was 49 per cent.