Brian Stanley warns of school bus driver shortage, urges age rethink
Brian Stanley warned of an imminent shortage of school bus drivers and urged rules be changed so drivers over 70 who pass annual medical and eye tests can continue driving until 75. He told the Dáil the shortage has lasted two years, will worsen in about 19 or 20 weeks, and called on the Taoiseach, the minister, the Road Safety Authority, Bus Aeron and the National Transport Authority to act.
He said the school transport scheme has faced a shortage of drivers for the last two years and that the problem will be worse this year because more pupils are entering the system. He warned a crisis is likely in about 19 or 20 weeks if additional drivers are not found.
He highlighted that those over 70 cannot drive under the school bus scheme but can still drive a 52-seater coach on school tours, calling the situation ludicrous. He said many experienced drivers who have reached 70 are currently at home "twiddling their thumbs" while operators cannot recruit extras.
He proposed allowing drivers to continue until age 75 provided they pass strict annual medical and eye tests, arguing this would use an available pool of trained drivers while maintaining safety standards. He presented this as a practical solution to a practical problem.
He said he raised the matter with the Taoiseach five weeks earlier and that the Taoiseach has agreed the issue should be addressed. He urged the Road Safety Authority, Bus Aeron, the National Transport Authority and the Department to conclude their evaluation and asked that the minister be made aware so the matter can be resolved promptly.
Shortage warning
He said the school transport scheme has faced a shortage of drivers for the last two years and that the problem will be worse this year because more pupils are entering the system. He warned a crisis is likely in about 19 or 20 weeks if additional drivers are not found.
Age-limit inconsistency
He highlighted that those over 70 cannot drive under the school bus scheme but can still drive a 52-seater coach on school tours, calling the situation ludicrous. He said many experienced drivers who have reached 70 are currently at home "twiddling their thumbs" while operators cannot recruit extras.
Proposed safety checks and extension
He proposed allowing drivers to continue until age 75 provided they pass strict annual medical and eye tests, arguing this would use an available pool of trained drivers while maintaining safety standards. He presented this as a practical solution to a practical problem.
Calls for action and evaluation
He said he raised the matter with the Taoiseach five weeks earlier and that the Taoiseach has agreed the issue should be addressed. He urged the Road Safety Authority, Bus Aeron, the National Transport Authority and the Department to conclude their evaluation and asked that the minister be made aware so the matter can be resolved promptly.
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Transcript
The Programme for Government gives a commitment to improve the school transport scheme, but again this year we are going to face a shortage of drivers. We have had a shortage of drivers for the last two years. It is going to be worse this year because there are more pupils coming on the stream and bus operators cannot get extra drivers. So in about 19 or 20 weeks we are going to be facing a crisis with this again. I am asking you if there is a solution to this, and I raised this with the Taoiseach, sorry, I raised it with the Taoiseach back five weeks ago. The Taoiseach agreed with the Pint again this week here in the Dáil, on the floor of the Dáil, so the Taoiseach and the Taoiseach are on board with this. Those over 70 can't drive under the school bus scheme, so they can't drive 15 kids to school for 9 o'clock in the morning or 8.30, but they can drive a 52 seater to Cork or Dublin on a school tour an hour later. It is a ludicrous situation and all we have to do is to ensure that these drivers, there are loads of them sitting at home and twiddling their thumbs, that have come of age, that have come to 70 in the last number of months and weeks, and they are at home sitting twiddling their thumbs. Meanwhile we have a shortage of drivers. Surely to God what we need to do is to ensure that they pass a medical test and an eye test, and that they do that annually, and if they do that and pass that strict test, let them keep driving until they are 75. I have brought it up, a number of other people are starting to bring it up now as well, and I am asking you to bring this back to the Minister for Transport and to solve this. I am putting forward a solution here to a practical solution to a practical problem, and you know it is no good reason that nothing happens. It is like playing handball in a haystack. We need to get it sorted. We need to sort this issue, there is a solution, and the RSA and Bus Aeron and the National Transport Authority and the Department need to fix this. All I can tell you is I am aware the issue has been done. You are not the first person I have heard make that point, and I know you are as aware as I am of the need to make sure that whoever is driving a bus with our kids in it are able to do it safely, and I know you agree with that, and that is not in doubt. The Road Safety Authority will want to ensure that if we do change the age at which you can drive a school bus, it does not create additional risks for those who are driving the buses or those who are in them. But I know it has been looked at, I do not know when that evaluation is going to conclude, but I will ensure that Minister Daryl O'Brien is aware of this issue, and see if it can be concluded, because we do need to bring the issue to an end.