Uzbek workers fill vacant bus driver positions in Sofia’s public transport

Workers from abroad are helping fill unoccupied positions for bus drivers in Sofia’s public transport system, BNT reports. So far, 28 citizens of Uzbekistan have been hired. The company is trying to overcome a staffing shortage of around 300 drivers, while the average age of current drivers is over 50.

Uzbek driver Khayrulla Karimov has been working for Sofia Urban Transport for about a year and a half. “It was difficult at the beginning, but my colleagues helped me, and we had training for traffic conditions. The language was a challenge, but now I am starting to understand and speak,” he says. He already has a favourite route: the line to Vitosha. He also has a simple approach to passengers: “I always smile, it opens people’s hearts,” Karimov says.

Next week, another seven Uzbek workers are expected to start work, bringing the number of foreign drivers in Sofia’s municipal transport to 35.

Edited by Miglena Ivanova