EPTO Position paper – minimum driver ages for bus and coach

EPTO, The European Passenger Transport Operators association, represents operators of PSO contracted and open access bus, coach, rail and light rail services across Europe. There is at present an acute shortage of bus and coach drivers in many member states and other European countries. This shortage is hampering the deliver of public transport services in many areas. The current age profile of bus and coach drivers also highlights a problem which, unless new recruits can be attracted to the industry and retained, will likely lead to exacerbation of this shortage as many current drivers fall due for retirement.

The industry is doing what it can to attract new drivers with attractive rates of pay and favourable working conditions that in many cases divert from the historic patterns of unattractive shifts and anti-social working hours. However attracting new drivers is hampered by a significant disadvantage faced by the sector. That is the restriction which prevents people entering the bus and coach driving profession below the age of 24 in many countries.

The European legislation (Directive 2006/126) sets, at Article 4(4), the default minimum age at 24 for driving buses and coaches in member states. Directive 2003/59 (Article 5) permits holders of driver qualification cards (CPC cards) obtained through the “accelerated initial qualification” method to drive on services under 50km from age 21, and longer distance services from 23. The corresponding ages for goods vehicles are 21 and 18 respectively. For a driver obtaining a CPC through the “conventional” method, they can drive a bus or coach anywhere in the EU from age 21.

Individual member states have the opportunity to set a derogation from this default minimum, provided that the individual has acquired a CPC through the “conventional” method, at age 18 for services under 50km and 20 for longer services. However, most member states do not, fearing the unsubstantiated risk of an increase in accidents if younger drivers are permitted.

Therefore individuals leaving education at the age of 17 or 18 and seeking a driving career have the opportunity to work in the road haulage or distribution sector, but cannot do the same in public passenger transport. By the time the opportunity to drive a bus or coach professionally is available to them, they are already well established in haulage or distribution and are considerably less likely to move jobs to public transport, especially as a degree of retraining will be required.

The latest legislation on driving licenses (Directive 2022/2561) has reiterated these minimum ages for bus and coach. This has been reinforced by the statement of the European Commission on 1st March 2023.

Where member states and other European countries permit the driving of buses and coaches on domestic services from the age of 18, for instance the Netherlands and the UK which allow driving of domestic services of under 50km from 18 years and longer services from age 20, there is no demonstrable harm in terms of accident rates for young bus and coach drivers.

EPTO urges that this legislation be reviewed to bring the minimum ages for driving buses and coaches within the EU into line with the minimum ages for driving heavy goods vehicles, or to allow driving of buses and coaches at a lower minimum age than specified for heavy goods vehicles, and remove the arbitrary 50km limit for younger drivers. Member states should be encouraged to exercise domestic derogations. Such action is required urgently to address the current shortage of bus and coach drivers, and in the longer term to meet the aspirations to achieve modal shift to sustainable transport modes and address the carbon neutrality targets for Europe.