Deep public transport cuts in The Hague as staff shortages continue

The staff shortage at HTM has gotten so big that The Hague public transport company has to adjust its timetable. From March 11, there will be fewer trams on various routes. From March 16, fewer buses will also run through the city. It is not yet clear how long these cuts will last, the company announced.

General manager Jaap Bierman is disappointed that travelers will be impacted by these cuts, but there was no other option. HTM also has to think about its staff, making sure their workload isn’t too high and giving them enough time to rest.

HTM is cutting about 5 percent of its timetable. It hopes that this will allow it to guarantee the rest of the timetable. Figuring out where to make cuts proved quite complicated, Bierman said. “It is important that HTM maintains all bus and tram lines.”

Lines 1 to 9 will be mostly unaffected, but fewer buses and trams will run on most other routes. The night buses will return as planned on April 26, however. A breakdown of the cuts can be found here.

The trams and buses that remain will likely be more crowded, HTM said. No lines will disappear completely.

Arjen Kapteijns, the mobility alderman in The Hague, called the cuts a shame but understandable. “With this intervention, HTM guarantees that all trams and buses continue to run on the busiest lines and during rush hours, including the beach express on nice days,” he told Omroep West. He will continue to talk to HTM “about the impact of the measures and solving the staff shortage.”

HTM isn’t the only public transport company struggling with staff shortages. Amsterdam’s GVB also announced last year that it may need to cut its timetable significantly, partly due to unfilled vacancies.