While it seems like an overplayed joke, it’s not just Dutch airports and airlines that are struggling with staff shortages.
The Netherlands’ railway company NS continues to cut train rides throughout July to cope with the lack of staff.
The company cancelled trains on six routes, two more than the week before, says RTL Nieuws.
Fewer Randstad trains
Overall, most of the affected trains are in the Randstad region of the Netherlands.
Travellers from The Hague, Rotterdam, and Gouda may have trouble getting around with sprinters only running two times an hour instead of the usual four.
Likewise, anyone who wants to visit Amsterdam from Enkhuizen or Eindhoven will have to plan carefully with only two sprinters and four intercity trains an hour.
Luckily, the Intercity Direct trains won’t be affected by the sparse schedule this week. Hopefully, passengers travelling from Amsterdam and Rotterdam can beat the scheduling chaos. 😰
Shortages across the board
Secretary of Infrastructure Vivianne Heijnen said staff shortages could last until after summer, according to the NOS. 😳
“There are shortages across the board. Of course, we don’t want to cancel trains, but we do this on routes where it hurts the least and where the personnel shortages are the greatest,” says an NS spokesperson. 😕
More than enough vacancies
When candidates apply for a job as a train driver or conductor, they can’t get to work immediately. Train driver training takes two years and conductors must follow a six-month course before they can even start checking tickets.
While there’s a major shortage of drivers and conductors, the NS is also looking for service employees and IT staff.
Have you had any problems with the trains in the Netherlands lately? What was your experience like? Tell us in the comments!
This demonstrates that privatization of public services has failed.