Too few bus drivers and also a high absenteeism due to illness. And if there are no trains running yet, then the chance of problems is high. That was exactly the case on the Meppel-Groningen route last month.
Huge crowds at the station in May. More specifically, large groups of travelers are waiting for the bus. Sometimes they have to wait an hour and a half before a bus comes. Sometimes even longer. Due to track work, no trains ran between Meppel and Assen from 7 to 22 May, and no trains between Meppel and Groningen from 10 to 19 May.
Low point is Thursday 12 June. The NS has issued a ‘negative travel advice’: travelers had better postpone their journey. “I find the call to travelers to postpone his or her trip, or to arrange for alternative transport themselves, is undesirable,” responds Vivianne Heijnen, State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management. “It is not possible to completely prevent nuisance and extra travel time during work, but the traveler must be able to rely on reaching his or her destination.” Yet she understands the call from the NS that evening, because of a lack of buses. “In order not to arouse expectations in the traveler that could not be fulfilled.”
The major problems were caused by a shortage of bus drivers. The NS turns to Transvision for replacement bus transport. On May 4, the NS was informed that the company could not fully meet the demand from the NS. There are too few bus drivers available, especially in the early morning and late evening shifts. All in all, this means that a quarter of the requested buses are not available.
The NS will then take measures at the stations. Where possible, extra toilets, seats and tents will be placed. And charging points for mobile telephones will be installed at the Assen, Groningen and Meppel stations. “In addition, NS has distributed refreshments to waiting passengers at various times”, Heijnen says.
The measures are nothing compared to the criticism of the long waiting times. Travelers association Rover finds the problems ‘unacceptable’ and wants travelers to be compensated. Travelers can request compensation via the NS website.
Travelers could travel via Leeuwarden as an alternative route. Heijnen: “Where possible, Arriva has used longer trains on the Groningen-Leeuwarden route, NS has done this on the Zwolle-Leeuwarden route. When the NS advises to use another carrier for work, I think it is appropriate that they pay these costs. also reimbursed.” That also happens in this case. In addition to the standard compensation, NS has decided to make a one-off compensation for the higher travel costs via Leeuwarden.
The NS has informed the State Secretary that it will review the agreements with external suppliers where possible in order to prevent a repetition. This means that they must capture 100 percent of the required services. Now a quarter of the demand from the NS could not be met.
The NS is also looking at whether it is possible to deploy buses and bus drivers from abroad. “But here too there is a shortage in the market.”
The State Secretary believes it is primarily the responsibility of the carriers themselves to provide replacement transport in the event of work and disruptions. “Nevertheless, NS remains dependent on external suppliers for the deployment of buses.”