Foreign recruits get behind wheel as Hiroshima bus shortage bites

Hiroshima, Japan is facing a shortage of bus drivers, leading a local transport company to recruit foreign nationals for the first time. Saeful Ulum, 49, and Thiery Corompis, 36, from Indonesia, began training as prospective drivers in April, marking a historic first for bus operators in Hiroshima Prefecture. The company, Hiroshima Kotsu, currently employs 195 drivers, down from around 245 a decade ago, which has made it challenging to maintain routes and led to service reductions in 2024.

With few younger people entering the profession, the workforce is aging, with an average age of 53. To address the issue, company president Tadayuki Teshima traveled to Indonesia to find candidates, noting the country's right-hand drive and left-side traffic laws are similar to Japan's. Both Ulum and Corompis had to convert their Indonesian driver's licenses to Japanese ones, with Corompis finding the process more difficult than anticipated.

Despite the challenges, both men completed their training and passed the practical test after multiple attempts. While they have basic Japanese language skills, they still need to learn customer service skills and managing onboard payments. Both express their desire to provide good service to passengers and become drivers the local community can trust.