The night line never returned in 2022, and we don’t yet know when it will. The one that usually takes the place of the metro between Lille and Villeneuve-d’Ascq from Thursday to Saturday evening is “suspended indefinitely”. Ilévia cannot yet bring forward a recovery date, again citing a lack of personnel.
This case is starting to last. In early September, Ilévia announced on Twitter that the night line would not return to normal in early September. The latter remains a good way for students and other night owls to get home (or get close) by public transport.
But like many other sectors, Ilévia indicates that it is currently facing “pressure from the labor market, affecting the duration and capacity of recruitment” from the health crisis. It means that the transport company does not have enough bus drivers and had to make choices. “To cope with this lack of staff and give priority to school services, we are forced to temporarily adjust the transport offer of some bus lines.“, continues Ilévia.
As you may have understood, night buses are among those that pay the costs. Recall that this line popular with young people has taken the place of the subway from Thursday to Saturday evenings and has been a great success. We also added new stops last year and request stops on some portions. The city of Roubaix and the students have been asking for it for years that a new night line be created between Lille and Roubaix-Tourcoing.
Everyone logically wonders when he will return after already more than two months of suspension. However, even Ilévia cannot foresee a recovery date. She adds, however, that sheproactively undertook actions to recruit and train new employeess” precisely to respond to this lack of bus drivers. A recruitment campaign would be underway, there was a job dating back to last September and the company would also be in contact with recruitment companies.
Training time must also be factored into these new hires. Recruits we hope to meet quickly on a bus in the middle of the night on a Friday evening in the center of Lille.
