To encourage employment in the bus industry, which is facing a growing labor shortage, support of up to 400,000 yen will be provided to students at metropolitan high schools who aim to obtain a regular driver’s license. This support covers the costs for a total of 75 students from two metropolitan schools: Nerima Technical High School and Hamura High School.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of bus users has been recovering. According to the Tokyo Bus Association, approximately 1.1 billion people use buses annually in the Tokyo area. However, the number of drivers has continued to decline, from 18,182 in fiscal year 2019 to 16,619 in fiscal year 2024. The aging of license holders is cited as a cause of the labor shortage, and a representative of the association stated, “There are not enough drivers, and we are forced to reduce services.”
In response to this situation, the metropolitan government has established a council to promote cooperation between metropolitan technical high schools and bus industry groups. Bus companies will teach the latest knowledge and technology, and initiatives to improve the industry’s image will be considered.
As part of this effort, the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education will begin supporting the acquisition of a regular driver’s license, which is a prerequisite for the large type 2 license needed to drive buses. The support covers up to 400,000 yen in costs for driving schools. It will be offered to students at Nerima Technical High School, which has classes on automotive technology, as well as students at Hamura High School, a general academic school. A total of 75 students—35 from one class at Nerima and 40 from one class at Hamura—will receive this support.
According to Hamura High School, the school has previously worked with local bus companies to provide career information to students. Among this spring’s graduates, two have joined bus companies as driver trainees. The principal stated, “We hope they will contribute to community development as active local talents.”
