Local driving personnel have a crucial role in tourism: their working conditions and motivation directly influence customer satisfaction and safety. Hardly any group of people has as much contact with travellers as public or chartered bus drivers, private chauffeurs and taxi drivers. They do, however, often work in precarious working conditions. Driving personnel in tourism are often employed by specialised transport service providers rather than by tour operators directly. Often, they do not comply with national legislation or international requirements for safety and labour standards. This concerns working hours, the content of working contracts as well as the payment of adequate salaries and tipping policies. Drivers’ low wages often do not allow for a decent standard of living. Often, drivers and their helpers employed by transportation companies are highly dependent on tips, meaning their income is highly volatile and dependent on occupancy and customer generosity. In many cases, overtime is neither compensated nor paid and annual leave is unpaid and can only be taken in low season. In peak season, there is often not sufficient time to rest between duties. Driving personnel’s long working hours also have a direct influence on travellers' safety. Besides international regulations, many countries have their own laws concerning working hours and maximum driving and rest periods for driving personnel. However, in many cases, state authorities do not adequately control their implementation. At the same time, drivers themselves are often not sensitive enough to these issues. Since their employment opportunities are, in many cases, only seasonal, they try to work as much as possible during the peak periods. Tourist bus drivers: IcelandDrivers’ organization: ColombiaBus driver: San FranciscoPreviousNext PreviousTourist bus drivers: IcelandDrivers’ organization: ColombiaBus driver: San FranciscoNext Tourist bus drivers: IcelandSocial dumping of tourist bus drivers in IcelandThe Icelandic Travel Industry Association (SAF) has been focussing on foreign busses and bus drivers coming and staying in Iceland for the summer. The drivers work outside of Icelandic legislation and regulations. The SAF found that ten buses were being driven illegally in Iceland in 2016, and talks about social dumping: “Busses with foreign drivers who are paid far less than other bus drivers in Iceland are coming here, [creating] unfair competition”.LinksNordic Labour Journal (2017): Iceland: Tourism boom leads to flourishing black …Drivers’ organization: ColombiaColombian drivers are organising to improve working conditionsMore than 400 workers in Cartagena’s special taxi service, which mainly covers tourist and school transportation, along with regular services, organised to improve their working conditions and continue the fight against new transport apps. Cartagena is one of Colombia’s main tourist destinations, and the tourism sector has grown considerably in recent years. LinksInternational Transport Workers Federation (2016): Colombian drivers are organi…Bus driver: San FranciscoA day in the life of a San Francisco bus driverPublic bus drivers face various challenges in their daily work, including violence and aggression, pressure to keep to a strict schedule, resulting in stress, and a constant need for vigilance and responsibility for thousands of passengers a day. LinksCenter for Social Epidemiology (2000): A day in the life of a San Francisco bus…PreviousNext Take actionPolicy and process Integrate clauses about drivers' working conditions in contracts with transportation providers (cf. Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism (2015): Guidance for implementation of labour and social standards for driving personnel in the tourism sector). Supplier assessment Assess the working conditions of drivers in destinations. Training and capacity building Train procurement staff on the issue of drivers' working conditions and how they can be addressed. Responsible product development Plan tours in a way that allows drivers to have the necessary rest periods. Find more information on potential measures to take on the "take action" site. Take action Analyse country-specific risksLearn more about potential human rights risks when operating in a specific country.Analyse country-specific risks Learn moreFind more information in the Resource Centre. Learn more
Take actionPolicy and process Integrate clauses about drivers' working conditions in contracts with transportation providers (cf. Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism (2015): Guidance for implementation of labour and social standards for driving personnel in the tourism sector). Supplier assessment Assess the working conditions of drivers in destinations. Training and capacity building Train procurement staff on the issue of drivers' working conditions and how they can be addressed. Responsible product development Plan tours in a way that allows drivers to have the necessary rest periods. Find more information on potential measures to take on the "take action" site. Take action
Analyse country-specific risksLearn more about potential human rights risks when operating in a specific country.Analyse country-specific risks