According to Wiener Linien, there are still around 100 drivers for the trams and another 100 for the buses. In addition, according to the company, an “extremely strong wave of illnesses this winter” is making personnel planning more difficult. The result is often long waiting times, especially for the trams.
The timetable of Wiener Linien has already been reduced by 0.4 percent since November 1 – now it will be thinned out once more by 2.3 percent. This affects 19 of the 28 tram lines and 16 of the 131 bus lines. Nothing will change on the subways. “Further extension of the intervals for trams and buses should bring the best possible return to more reliability and regularity and relieve the strain on the staff,” says Wiener Linien.
Intervals stretched by two minutes on average
Only the intervals outside of the morning peak would be stretched, as well as on less frequented routes and within less busy periods, it is emphasized. School and commuter traffic will remain unaffected. The intervals should be two minutes longer on average, up to a maximum of 2.5 minutes. The timetables are affected during the week from 9 a.m., on Saturdays from 7 a.m. and on Sundays from 10 a.m.
“On weekends and during the holiday season, Wiener Linien is extending the interval from 10 to 12 minutes for some tram lines,” the company describes. Specifically, this applies, for example, to Saturdays from 7:00 a.m. for lines 10, 25, 26, 33, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 44, 52, 60, 62, 71 and U2Z.
Bonus for recruiting staff
“Wiener Linien is a strong and reliable company,” says Wiener Linien CEO Alexandra Reinagl. “But there are areas where we need to get a lot better. This includes recruiting staff and optimizing working conditions in the driving service as well as stabilizing the intervals.”
A further measure in Wiener Linien’s five-point program is therefore a “training offensive”. Among other things, people with insufficient knowledge of German for driving service training can complete a ten-week German course that takes place during working hours. In addition, the existing staff is motivated to recruit new people – with a bonus of 1,000 euros. The tram schools are already “quite well filled” for the coming months, but there are still a few free places in the bus courses.
Full timetable expected from autumn 2023
The driving service is also to become more attractive, among other things through higher salaries and allowances since January 1, 2023 and a long-term reduction in working hours from 37.5 to 35 hours a week with the same pay. Further improvements in the rosters are currently being examined – for example with regard to the so-called interrupter services and the places where the service starts and ends, according to Wiener Linien. Both were recently sharply criticized in an anonymous, open letter.
The internal processes should also be evaluated. A management consultancy should check the capacity and duty planning as well as the working conditions and identify opportunities for improvement. Wiener Linien is currently expecting an improvement in the personnel situation by autumn 2023 – then it will “probably be able to use the full timetable once more”.
All affected lines
trams
Monday to Friday (school), from 9 a.m
- Interval now 12 minutes (previously 10): lines 10, 33, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 62, U2Z
- Interval now 7.5 minutes (previously 6 minutes, 40 seconds): lines 44, 52, 60
- Interval now 6 minutes, 40 seconds (previously 6 minutes): Lines 25, 26
Monday to Friday (holidays), from 9 a.m
- Interval now 12 minutes (previously 10): Lines 10, 33, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42
- Interval now 10 minutes (previously 7.5): Lines 25, 26, 44, 52, 60, 62, U2Z
Saturday from 7.00 a.m
- Interval now 12 minutes (previously 10): Lines 10, 25, 26, 33, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 44, 52, 60, 62, 71, U2Z
- Interval now 10 minutes (previously 6 or 15): lines 30, 31
Sunday from 10 a.m
- Interval now 12 minutes (previously 10): Lines 10, 11, 25, 26, 33, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 44, 46, 52, 60, 62, 71, U2Z
- Interval now 10 minutes (previously 7.5 or 15): Lines 30, 31
Busse
Monday to Friday (school), from 9 a.m
- Interval now 7.5 to 10 minutes (previously 6 minutes, 40 seconds to 8 minutes): lines 11A, 11B, 15A, 31A, 57A, 63A, 66A, 74A
Monday to Friday (holidays), from 9 a.m
- Interval nun 10 Minuten (vorher 7,5): Linen 7A, 15A, 26A, 29A, 35A, 48A, 57A, 59A, 66A, 74A
Saturday from 7.00 a.m
- Interval now 10 minutes (previously 6 to 7.5): Lines 7A, 14A, 66A
Sunday from 11.00 a.m
- Interval now 10 minutes (previously 7.5): Lines 11A, 13A
