A group of 43 children are arriving late for school each day due to staffing shortages at the transport company Connexxion. The company is responsible for transporting pupils in Eindhoven and Waalre, but is currently facing a significant shortage of drivers, leading to delays of up to 75 minutes for some students.
These 43 children, who are in special education, are being ‘post-ridden’, meaning the driver completes a second round to drop them off. Consequently, they often reach school much later than intended.
While this situation is frustrating for the students, Connexxion believes it will eventually provide greater clarity for children, parents, teachers, and drivers alike. A spokesperson for the parent company, Transdev, noted that if necessary, routes will be adjusted after four weeks to ensure a fair distribution of the workload. “Every student who arrives late at school is one too many,” he added.
Vacancies
Complaints
In the 2023-2024 school year, Connexxion received 570 complaints, of which 396 were upheld. Most of these complaints were related to the failure to collect pupils on time. In the first months of the current school year, 132 complaints have already been filed, of which 104 were against Connexxion specifically. The remaining complaints were about the behaviour of other passengers. The complaints are registered by the municipality and forwarded to Connexxion for handling.
The taxi company says it is in close consultation with Eindhoven City Council to improve the situation as soon as possible. However, the driver shortage is a national problem and Connexxion calls on the government to find future-proof solutions.
Agreements
In 2022, the municipalities of Waalre and Eindhoven concluded a contract with the carrier for pupil transport. It concerns 650 children in special education or pupils with disabilities who cannot go to school by themselves.
Source: Studio040
For Eindhoven News: Chaitali Sengupta
