Bus driver shortage at critical level, industry appeals for solutions

SHAH ALAM - The transportation industry faces a shortage of 5,000 bus drivers, causing some companies, particularly those operating express and tour buses, to fail in providing two drivers for long-distance journeys.

Pan Malaysia Bus Operators Association (PMBOA) president Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali said the issue of bus driver shortages has become increasingly critical due to several factors.

Among them were that many potential workers interested in becoming bus or lorry drivers could not afford the high costs of obtaining a Class E driver’s licence and a Public Service Vehicle vocational licence for buses or a Goods Driving Licence for lorries.

"The cost of obtaining a Class E licence is between RM4,000 and RM5,000. If drivers are required to pay out of pocket, the B40 group cannot afford it, while the M40 group is unwilling to work as bus drivers. All this poses a challenge for us.

"Another factor contributing to the shortage is drivers retiring, as well as drivers, particularly in Johor and Melaka, migrating to work in Singapore or leaving the transportation industry to work in other sectors," he told Sinar.

He was commenting on the challenges faced by express and tour bus companies in providing a second driver for long-distance journeys.

This follows an operation conducted by the Penang Road Transport Department at three toll plazas in the state on Wednesday, which found 25 express and tour buses operating with only one driver for journeys exceeding 300 kilometres.

Ashfar said the association has appealed to the Transport Ministry to allow the second driver to take over mid-journey, as permitted by the now-defunct Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).

"There is some confusion among bus operators regarding the interpretation of the regulations for two drivers because, previously, SPAD had allowed the second driver to switch halfway through the journey.

"But since our appeal has not yet been decided, we comply with the current rule that two drivers must be present at the start of journeys exceeding 300 kilometres," he explained.

He added that the government, particularly the Human Resources Ministry was urged to consider the proposals submitted in a previous memorandum to provide free vocational training for the B40 group to obtain the necessary licences.

According to the 2023 Malaysia Transportation Statistics released by the Transport Ministry, there were 4,261 registered and active express buses and 5,092 registered and active tour buses last year.