Trade union head says locomotive drivers are overworked

Locomotive drivers in the Czech Republic are overworked and often find themselves in crisis situations, Jaroslav Vondrovič, President of the Czech Federation of Locomotive Drivers told journalists on Wednesday. He says the great amount of overtime work and little rest is a big problem that leads to locomotive drivers making mistakes.

His comments came as Czech Railways management convened a special meeting Wednesday in the wake of back-to-back train collisions and a steep rise in reported accidents and ‘incidents’. They will likely agree on stricter safety measures and tighter controls.

Currently, there is a shortage of at least 300 locomotive drivers in the Czech Republic. Inexperienced young drivers are often put into situations where they can make errors, railway authorities say.