Stagecoach West reports significant driver deficit in Gloucestershire

Stagecoach West, a prominent bus operator, is experiencing a deficit of approximately “65 drivers” in Gloucestershire, according to Chris Hanson, its managing director. Mr. Hanson, who has led Stagecoach West since June, conveyed this information during an interview with BBC Radio Gloucestershire. Mr. Hanson, who previously worked as a bus driver, stated that the company is actively engaged in efforts “to improve work-life balance” for its employees. The Gloucester-based firm has encountered criticism over recent years due to route reductions, particularly in rural regions, but asserts that its reliability has seen enhancements. The company identified Cheltenham, Stroud, and Gloucester as the primary areas affected by the driver shortage. Mr. Hanson commented, “The biggest challenge remains ensuring we have enough resource to do what we need to do – whether that be in the shape of buses or whether that be in the shape of drivers.” When questioned about how the company was maintaining its services, Mr. Hanson explained that they were preparing to “lend across” personnel from Oxfordshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, and Bristol, regions where staffing challenges are less pronounced. He further noted that, considering a “challenging couple of years in terms of cost of living,” the company is engaging in discussions with unions representing drivers regarding compensation. The focus is also on developing new rotas designed to provide employees with greater work-life balance. Mr. Hanson stated, “I always think back to my time as a driver and ask what that would look like for me, a lot of my colleagues do.” He added, “We’re an industry full of people who have been on the frontline and really understand that challenge.” The budget announced last month included a change to the bus fare cap scheme. This initiative, which previously limited single bus journeys to £2 and was set to conclude at the end of the current year, will increase to £3 starting in January. Bus operators must opt into this scheme. Mr. Hanson informed Radio Gloucestershire that while they await the specifics of the new proposal, Stagecoach West is dedicated to preventing a significant surge in bus fares. He remarked, “What you can’t do is just come to a cliff edge, the fares go up, and all of that good work that we’ve done getting people out of their cars and onto the buses will be entirely reversed.” He further stated that the company has recognized that “simplicity is the name of the game” for promoting bus usage, as passengers appreciate the straightforwardness of knowing a bus ticket will not exceed £2. Although implementing the cap sustainably on rural routes presented more difficulty, he asserted, “What we’re absolutely certain of is that going back to our old fare model and just whacking the prices up is clearly not a sustainable option for customers and us.”