South African bus drivers recruited by Dublin Bus to help address Ireland’s shortage of public transport workers have been left carrying out basic duties, including sweeping yards and emptying bins, as they wait for their licences and other documents to be processed.
The Irish Times reported on Sunday that some of the drivers recruited to drive buses across Dublin have been unable to begin their primary duties because of delays involving licence exchanges and related paperwork.
Dublin Bus, Ireland’s state-owned bus operator, recruited 93 drivers in its first recruitment campaign in South Africa, with about six recruits arriving in Ireland each week.
The company said the recruitment drive was prompted by a shortage of drivers in Ireland and the need to support the expansion of public transport services in Dublin.
However, the transition has proved difficult for some of the South African recruits who travelled to Ireland expecting to begin work behind the wheel.
The delay means performing duties far removed from the jobs for which they were recruited
Dublin Bus said the drivers arrived with the required Category D licences but must complete the necessary licence exchange and other formalities before they can drive its buses.
The company also said the overseas recruits undergo the same competency assessments as other Dublin Bus drivers and receive professional training at its training centre.
According to the company, the training process can take longer for international recruits because they require additional support and integration.
For some of the drivers, the delay means performing duties far removed from the jobs for which they were recruited.
Dublin Bus provides overseas recruits with accommodation for their first four weeks in Ireland. After that period, the drivers are expected to establish themselves independently while continuing their training.
The company has acknowledged that the period can be difficult for new arrivals, particularly because they are paid at a training rate during the process.
The recruitment of South African drivers is part of a wider European response to a growing shortage of professional drivers.
Transport operators across Europe are increasingly recruiting from outside their countries as ageing workforces and a lack of younger entrants leave bus and truck companies struggling to fill vacancies.
South Africa has become part of that international recruitment pipeline, with its pool of professional drivers, widespread use of English and left hand driving system making its drivers attractive to countries such as Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Ireland also has a licence exchange arrangement with South Africa, a system intended to make the transfer of driving qualifications easier.
The movement of workers across borders is not limited to the transport sector.
Healthcare workers, engineers, construction workers, technology professionals and skilled tradespeople from African countries are increasingly being recruited to fill labour shortages in wealthier economies.
Nigeria has also become a major source of professionals seeking opportunities abroad, while employers in Europe, North America and other regions continue to seek workers from countries with large and relatively young populations.
For the South African drivers recruited by Dublin Bus, however, the immediate challenge remains getting behind the wheel.
They were brought to Ireland because of their ability to drive buses, but some have instead found themselves waiting for the paperwork required to do the jobs they were hired to perform.
Dublin Bus said it plans to continue recruiting about 200 drivers annually for the foreseeable future as it responds to the driver shortage.
The company’s workforce now includes employees from about 90 countries, underscoring the increasingly international nature of Dublin’s public transport system.
