KOCHI: Job opportunities for migrant workers in the city have increased as now they can take the job of private bus drivers, since operators are finding it difficult to get local staff to run buses.“About a decade ago, bus owners had an upper hand in hiring people. But now, they are at the receiving end,” Bus Owners Association president M B Sathyan said.There is severe shortage of native drivers, as they are eyeing other options. Most of them also refuse to work on Sundays.“There are other issues like competition from government-operated buses and rising costs of fuel and spare parts,” Sathyan said.“Tyre prices have shot up sharply and oil prices grew by about 30 percent at one go,” he said. Due to the crisis, many operators have quitted the business. “A large number of bus operators have already left and many of them are on their way out,” he added.There are about 630 buses in the district, out of which only 500 are operating now. He said that 83 buses in the Aluva-Ernakulam sector had already surrendered their permits.On the other hand, Ernakulam District Motor Thozhilali Union (INTUC) general secretary Jolly Powathil said the natives were losing interest to work as drivers, since they are booked for murder in accident cases where the victim gets killed. “Drivers are opting for other jobs, like driving autorickshaws,” he said. Though migrant workers have played a key role in solving the problem of labour shortage in the state, their acceptance as bus drivers is doubtful.Sathyan said that there were many issues involved in employing them as bus drivers. The main problem is their credibility. Recently, a North Indian driver was booked for using an expired licence. “It is not as simple as employing them in the construction sector, hotel industry, and other areas,” Sathyan said. On the issue, Powathil said that his union was not in favour of it.
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