Late trains: Minister wants to link bonus payments to rail targets

New Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger is increasing pressure on the management of Deutsche Bahn. In response to the ongoing punctuality crisis at the state-owned rail company and criticism of million-euro payments, the CDU politician announced in the "Bild am Sonntag" that there would be consequences for executive salaries.

"It will specifically affect the bonus payments of Bahn managers if the targets set by the federal government are not met," Bilger said. "I think that Bahn customers and taxpayers have a right to expect that success to be measured." He explicitly stated that he wanted to acknowledge that many employees at Bahn do a really good job, according to the minister.

However, if it is not satisfactory, that would also affect payment. The federal government is currently preparing a new financing agreement with the state-owned company, which will precisely regulate how many billions flow into rail infrastructure. In the future, these funds will be tied to requirements.

Pro-Bahn representative welcomes bonus plans

The honorary chairman of the passenger association Pro Bahn, Karl-Peter Naumann, welcomed Bilger's plans. At the same time, he called on the federal government not only to exert pressure on the company but also to fulfill its own tasks. "Basically, it is right if the owner sets clear requirements and also monitors them," Naumann told the newspapers of the Funke Mediengruppe.

That had been lacking in the past. At the same time, the federal government must make sufficient financial resources available to Bahn and control their targeted use. "That was also lacking in the past."