Jena, 28.02.2026. Split shifts, short rest periods, and long shifts are increasingly burdening the driving staff of Jenaer Nahverkehr. The union Verdi criticizes structural problems, while the employers’ association vehemently disagrees.
- Topic: Ongoing professional stress in public transport (ÖPNV).
- Affected: Drivers of Jenaer Nahverkehr.
- Points of criticism: Split shifts, excessively long shift times, and insufficient recovery phases.
- Context: A current report by the union Verdi highlights nationwide structural problems; the Kommunaler Arbeitgeberverband Thüringen disputes this representation.
Passion for the profession meets the limit of endurance
From the perspective of the driving staff, the situation in public transport continues to escalate. Three drivers from Jena have now gone public about the pressure they face in their daily work. Although they work in public transport out of deep conviction, they are increasingly reaching their physical and psychological limits. A frequently cited frustration among employees summarizes the problem: “The whole day is ruined.”
The background of the complaints is primarily the working time models. In particular, split shifts and extremely long shift times cause resentment and exhaustion. As reports regarding the current warning strikes in Thuringian public transport indicate, the work stoppages are not directed against the passengers. Rather, they are a cry for help from the workforces suffering under the existing shift schedules.
Union versus Employers’ Association
The problem is not limited to Jena. A current expert report by the service union Verdi supports the statements of the driving staff and identifies nationwide structural problems in the driving service. The burden is seen as inherent to the system and urgently requires reforms in roster planning. However, the Kommunaler Arbeitgeberverband Thüringen rejects these allegations and the conclusions drawn in the report. This leads to hardened fronts in the ongoing discussions about the future of working conditions in public transport.
Background: Challenges in Jenaer Nahverkehr
Public transport in Jena faces special topographical and traffic-related challenges. Due to the city’s basin location and dense development along the main traffic axes (such as the federal roads B88 and B7), traffic is often congested. Trams and buses often have to share the limited space with private traffic, making it a stressful task for the driving staff to maintain tight schedules.
What are “split shifts”?
In the industry, split shifts are a well-known point of contention. Drivers often complete a shift during the morning peak hour (e.g., school and commuter traffic), then have a multi-hour unpaid break, and must take the wheel again in the late afternoon. This results in employees effectively working only eight hours but being tied to their workplace for twelve or more hours – leisure and family life suffer significantly as a result.
Source:
“The whole day is ruined”: Jena bus drivers on professional workloads
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.