The municipal transport carrier "Burgasbus" EOOD is experiencing serious difficulties in finding highly qualified employees needed to maintain its daily operations. The problem, which affects key units in the company, is long-term and is felt particularly acutely in cities outside the capital, as became clear from statements by the management.
The company's director, Petko Dragnev, revealed that the most critical shortage is that of drivers. The company urgently needs personnel with the necessary qualifications to drive buses and trolleybuses in order to ensure the smooth execution of the public transport schedule. Dragnev assured that despite the shortage, there are currently no observed disruptions to the timetables. This announcement comes against the backdrop of a persistent trend in which the transport sector in the country is struggling with a constant outflow of personnel.
Shortage of specialists in the service depot
The shortage of specialists is not limited to driver positions. A serious vacuum of qualified personnel is also felt in the company's service depot, where the maintenance and repair of vehicles are essential. With the expansion of the vehicle fleet with new, electric vehicles that are becoming increasingly widespread in Burgas's public transport, the need for technicians with specialized skills is also growing. Therefore, "Burgasbus" is actively looking for workers with technical qualifications and experience in working with the latest technologies and electric motor vehicles.
According to Petko Dragnev, in order to ensure the company's normal long-term operation, it is critically important to attract young and qualified specialists who are ready to settle and work permanently in the region.
This call for attracting new personnel to the city is indicative of the scale of the problem faced by local economies. The situation is reminiscent of the period before the COVID-19 pandemic, when "Burgasbus" again sounded the alarm about a significant shortage of drivers. At that time, in response to the crisis, changes were planned to the timetables of the lines to the neighborhoods of "Dolno Ezerovo", "Lozovo", and "Gorno Ezerovo", which caused public tension. Unlike the previous case, Dragnev emphasized that currently, the introduction of such drastic measures is not necessary, which temporarily calms the tension among passengers.
The "I Choose Bulgaria" measure
In search of a solution to the personnel shortage problem, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy (MLSP) announced the launch of a national measure called "I Choose Bulgaria". This initiative aims to encourage Bulgarians to return from abroad and settle in settlements with up to 50,000 inhabitants. The measure is financed under the "Human Resources Development" Program (HRDP) of the MLSP and is structured into two components.
- The first component is aimed at compatriots who want to return to their homeland. Under it, individuals who have resided abroad for 12 of the last 18 months, as well as those who have recently completed their education abroad, can apply.
- The second component of "I Choose Bulgaria" aims to encourage citizens who already live in Bulgaria to start working in another settlement with a population of under 50,000 people, thereby aiming to redistribute the workforce and support the local economy.
It remains to be seen whether this national program will succeed in having a real impact on the persistent personnel shortage problem, which continues to plague not only "Burgasbus" but also the entire transport sector in the country.