The start of the year was anything but ideal. The months-long labor disputes by the German Locomotive Drivers’ Union (GDL), the finally found but expensive collective agreement, the difficult overall economic situation that is putting pressure on sales: the financial prospects at Deutsche Bahn (DB) were already better. After a mega loss of 2.4 billion euros in 2023, the balance sheet for 2024 also threatens to be lousy. Now the company is drawing conclusions.
DB is planning a “qualified hiring freeze” in administration and a “qualified spending freeze” for the rest of the year. The Reuters news agency first reported on it. The group therefore has to save 250 million euros in the remaining nine months of the year in order to achieve its goals for 2024. “This is the emergency brake in the group,” said a company representative, according to Reuters. According to a railway spokeswoman, there has not yet been a decision by the company’s board of directors.
The company is desperately looking for train drivers
The GDL strikes alone have cost the company more than 300 million euros, plus wage increases for their train drivers. However, they should explicitly not be affected by the hiring freeze; on the contrary: the railway is still desperately looking for train drivers. According to the railway, “company staff will continue to be recruited in full”. The lobby association Allianz pro Schiene expects a need for 5,000 to 10,000 additional train drivers per year across Germany.
The railway’s upcoming rail projects this year should also not be affected by the austerity measures. The major general renovation of the Riedbahn between Mannheim and Frankfurt begins in mid-July. “Investments in Strong Rail are continuing,” says a DB spokeswoman. The goal is to become more punctual again and increase customer satisfaction.