Greece’s regional intercity coach bus operators (KTEL) are looking to India and Egypt for drivers, with discussions covering the possible recruitment of about 500 workers as an Attica transport consortium struggles to fill vacancies.
Sofoklis Fatsios, president of the nationwide federation of intercity bus operators and of Athens’ Kifissos intercity bus station, outlined the effort during a briefing to Parliament’s road safety committee.
Fatsios said federation representatives had visited India and Egypt to explore recruitment in cooperation with Greece’s Transport Ministry. The immediate staffing pressure centers on the consortium operating bus routes in Attica that were previously handled by OSY, the Athens road transport operator.
KTEL is a network of regional bus companies best known for intercity services across mainland Greece and its islands. Some operators also provide urban transport.
Attica consortium needs another 150 drivers
The consortium needs approximately 550 drivers but currently has around 400, Fatsios said, leaving a shortfall of about 150. That specific vacancy count is distinct from the roughly 500 drivers discussed as a potential recruitment target for the entire country. The recruitment effort remains under discussion, rather than a confirmed arrival of new drivers.
Outside Attica, KTEL’s immediate staffing needs were being met partly because shareholders were driving buses themselves. His account suggests that the ability to maintain services can depend on owners stepping into operational roles.
Certification is another part of the discussions.Authorities are considering possible incentives to help prospective recruits obtain the required professional qualifications, alongside efforts to train drivers domestically.
Relative bodies in Athens are preparing a training school that would subsidize professional driver training in exchange for a five-year commitment to work for the company. A similar initiative in Thessaloniki was described as being planned.
Operators point to competition for workers
Michalis Sakellariou, president of the nationwide federation of urban bus operators and of Larissa’s urban KTEL, attributed the shortage to several developments that had accumulated over time.
One of the issues was an approximately 11-month interruption in professional driving license examinations before 2019, which disrupted the flow of new entrants. Additionally, the expansion of delivery work during the pandemic and growing competition from tourist vans and smaller buses are other issues affecting the KTEL bus coaches in Greece.
It is also understandable that alternative driving jobs can offer more attractive working conditions, pay and tips. Responding to lawmakers’ questions about past wage complaints, Sakellariou maintained that operators were paying above minimum levels because they had little bargaining room when recruiting scarce staff. That is the employers’ assessment; the report does not provide a wage comparison or a response from drivers.
The issue fits a wider debate about staffing in Greece, including the introduction of a six-day workweek for certain businesses in 2024 and a 2025 proposal to help recognized refugees enter the labor market. Those measures are separate from the KTEL recruitment discussions.
Fuel costs add pressure on bus services
Driver recruitment was not the only concern raised by the operators. The urban and intercity federations said they had requested €20 million in fuel assistance: €15 million for intercity services and €5 million for urban operators outside Athens and Thessaloniki.
The representatives also argued that low-demand routes require greater public support. Their concerns add a transport dimension to the broader discussion about pressure on Greece’s infrastructure.
School transport is another significant responsibility. Figures presented in the discussion put KTEL’s daily school passenger total at about 320,000 students nationwide. Operators said regional authorities design the routes and run the tenders, while KTEL companies carry out the services assigned to them.
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