Question to the Department for Transport:

To the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to encourage more people to become bus drivers.

DfT are monitoring bus driver shortage data through surveys to bus and coach operators, and to Local Transport Authorities. The purpose of this is to gather information about the extent of the shortages across the country, so that this can be monitored as the situation develops and, to see if there is more that DfT can do to ensure the supply of drivers is sufficient.

Individual bus operators are required to ensure they have sufficient staff in order to run their scheduled services. To this end, we expect the bus sector to pursue all opportunities to encourage job seekers into the industry.