The coach industry making more noise about what it does and what it can offer as a career is key to mitigating its recruitment challenges, delegates at the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) Coach Conference in November heard from a sector panel.
Other points for consideration include a need to lean on technology in recruitment and the critical importance of majoring on the industry’s diverse workflow in a bid to accommodate changing employee wants of a job, representatives from the operator, supplier and trade body fields told the gathering.
Thoughts on how to better attract under-represented groups were also aired, while the realities of downsizing in the face of difficulties were explored. The importance of treating staff well and realising how things have changed over recent decades was also highlighted as part of a frank session chaired by CPT Operations Director Keith McNally.
Work-life changes have influenced coach industry recruitment
From the operator field was Galloway Travel Group Head of Operations Chloe Bailey. She notes how the Suffolk business reduced its fleet after 2020 to match driver availability but is now undoing that, with three extra vehicles due in 2026.
Ms Bailey says that a primary factor in the earlier decision was a change to what employees want from work-life balance. Galloway also began to train people to the required standard, but that endeavour was challenging, she adds.
Licence acquisition comes at a cost and the operator found that the proportion of recruits that stayed for the duration of training and then in a productive capacity was low. While not meaning that Galloway has abandoned the approach entirely, a high attrition rate is highlighted as a particular issue for SMEs.
In response to a question on whether driver apprenticeships could work for coach operators as they have for some larger bus businesses, Ms Bailey believes that SMEs individually may struggle with the requirements involved. However, she suggests that members of the industry could pool resources to take the idea forward.
Not all is difficult for bringing people into sector, but how opportunities are communicated to potential joiners could be improved in some cases. That begins when an advert is placed. “We need to get to know who we are recruiting,” says Ms Bailey.
“And are our adverts saying that we can be flexible? Some people may not realise that.” In Galloway’s case, it has a broad church of work that includes tours, private hire, contracts, and scheduled services. With that in mind, there should be something to suit most potential driving recruits – if they know about it.
Progress coming on 50km, regular service restriction?
Mr McNally notes that a longstanding campaign for full removal of the 50km, regular service restriction on 18- and 19-year-old PCV drivers remains underway.
A consultation on partial relaxation opened in April 2024 but little has been heard since. CPT expects headway soon, but he cautions that further information from within the industry will be needed before real progress is made.
The CPT Operations Director adds how some job adverts can unwittingly hold a bias towards men. He says that experience has shown how putting text through a ‘gender decoder’ tool is worthwhile to leverage reach.
Bringing more women into the coach industry is the forte of Women in Bus and Coach Director and JMW Partner and Head of Commercial Road Transport Laura Hadzik.
Operators must take advantage of an inherent advantage that comes through domination of the segment by SME businesses, she told delegates: most are family-run and thus at least one mother, grandmother or daughter is already present.
That is a starting point, however. Facilities for women within depots are needed and Ms Hadzik cautions that at present, those are to be found in “the good, the bad and the ugly” categories. And when they are there and in proper order, that must be reflected in job adverts alongside scope for the flexible working advocated by Ms Bailey.
Modern approach needed to industry recruitment
Career progression is another factor in attracting people, but Ms Hadzik advises that responsibilities around preventing sexual harassment in the workplace must be taken increasingly seriously after legislation change in 2024. What some people may view as banter could severely offend others, and what is not acceptable must be made clear.
Employers’ treatment of staff is also core to retention. C9 Recruitment Executive Chairman Sam Wharfe told delegates that most operators handle employees well, “but some do not, and expect staff to do the same things as were done 50 years ago.”
He adds that technology should be used in recruitment in the same way it has been introduced across compliance and work planning by many SMEs. And when adopted, that “is not just ChatGPT,” he warns.
Nevertheless, artificial intelligence can be used for preliminary tasks such as licence checking and other suitability-related considerations. It can also govern what Mr Wharfe describes as “dynamic adverts” that reflect real-time position and need. “The industry should embrace technology if it is to attract and retain more staff,” he adds.
A lot is underway to bring newcomers into coach, but the panel discussion made clear how much else is still to do. And while flexibility will help, Mr McNally cautions that the industry is broadly a service sector that works to customers’ needs, regardless of where those sit on the 24-hour clock – further underlining the need for a multi-pronged workforce strategy.
