Conferences at Busworld Europe Unveil Key Insights for the Future of Bus and Coach Operations
Busworld recently hosted a series of five impactful European Union conferences, bringing together manufacturers, operators, and policy makers in a collective effort to bridge the gap between technological feasibility, economic viability, and regulatory demands in the bus industry. These conferences, organized in collaboration with esteemed partners, addressed pressing issues and shared conclusive statements that promise to shape the future of bus operations.
In collaboration with ERM, and with the support of the European Commission, the EU Zero Emission Bus Conference generated seven pivotal statements, setting the tone for the transition to zero-emission vehicles:
A roundtable panel was organized with policy makers, manufacturers and operators to discuss the European bus driver shortage situation based on the presentation of the IRU Driver Shortage Report.
The IRU Driver Shortage Report showed a concerning trend: If no action is taken, the number of unfilled driving positions could increase to 275,000 by 2028, nearly tripling the current 105,000 vacancies. The report also points to a lack of participation from young people (only 3%) and women (just 16%), emphasising the need to attract more young and female drivers to the profession.
There was a consensus on the need to attract young and female drivers to the profession and standardise rules for third-country driver access to the profession.
Road transport operators and industry representatives agree that legislative solutions can help address these problems. Ongoing negotiations on the EU Driving Licence Directive could potentially lower the minimum age for bus and coach drivers and remove age-related kilometer limitations, and harmonise third-country driver access.
Additionally, derogations in driving and rest time rules for coach transport could reduce driver stress, as the current rules are adjusted to truck driving and are ill-suited to the demands of coach driving. These negotiations are also crucial in tackling the driver shortage while maintaining high safety standards on EU roads.
A new academic report launched at Busworld recommends the development of a new European standard for collision safety in buses. The report, titled “Safety in bus transport in Europe,” was presented by the Institute of Transport Economics. This report, commissioned by Public Transport Norway, provides an overview of safety measures in buses and aims to assist purchasers and authorities in establishing safety requirements for bus contracts and regulations.
The report’s key recommendation is making several safety measures mandatory in bus transport, such as fleet management systems for smoother driving, safety culture measures, safety management systems, and crash protection for bus drivers.
Currently, these measures are not legally required in bus transport, despite research showing their effectiveness in accident prevention. Additionally, there are no separate safety standards for buses, as they fall under collision standards designed for heavier vehicles. The researchers propose the development of a dedicated European standard for bus collision safety.
In collaboration with Ertico ITS Europe, ITxPT, and Espaces Mobilités, the EU Digital Mobility Solutions Conference focused on the future of mobility as a service (MaaS), telematics, smart energy management systems and the implementation of ADAS and autonomous buses:
The Future of Coach Tourism in Europe provided three conclusive statements:
“As the driving force behind these conferences and in collaboration with many partners, we are committed to further guiding the debate and propelling the European bus industry toward a sustainable and innovative future.”
This article was originally published by Busworld.
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