Compiled with the help of artificial intelligence, based on Spanish-language information. Source below the article.
Tenerife tram delays appear on stop screens as staff shortages bite
The Tenerife tram is feeling the effects of a lack of staff, and delays are now appearing on the screens at stops. The shortage of personnel has forced the operator to reduce the number of trams in circulation, pushed waiting times up to 25 minutes and turned journeys into increasingly crowded trips. According to workers, the situation is not a one-off problem but a long-running staffing shortfall that affects various areas of the service.
Missing drivers and controllers
The main problem lies in the lack of drivers — around fifteen, according to the workers — and of controllers, with only seven of the 13 available currently operational. Controllers are responsible for coordinating tram movements in real time to guarantee a safe, punctual service free of incidents. Added to this is a shortfall of maintenance technicians, which is delaying preventive inspections, and of administrative staff, which is making it harder to manage outstanding work. Together, these problems force the service to be cut back to just eight trams during peak demand hours, compared with the usual 14 — provided no accident occurs to aggravate delays in circulation still further.
Knock-on effects on safety checks
These shortfalls also affect the company’s internal operations. According to the workers, the build-up of unfinished tasks and delays in inspection work make it harder to monitor the condition of the vehicles and could force trams that do not meet the necessary conditions to operate safely to be taken out of service.
Pressure on staff and passengers
The situation affects both the workers themselves, who take on a heavier workload, end up working more hours than planned and often have to deal with angry users, and passengers, who can wait up to 25 minutes to board a tram that arrives increasingly full, while overcrowding at stops can compromise their safety. “Without resources we are dead,” the employees warn.
Recruitment plan approved by Metrotenerife
To reverse the situation, Metrotenerife approved a package of measures at its latest board meeting, including a public recruitment offer of 40 posts to reinforce areas such as driving, control, maintenance and administration, as well as the stabilisation of a further six driver posts. The staffing budget for 2027 envisages adding another 15 positions, while the company has already submitted to the Cabildo the criteria for selecting driving, control and maintenance staff and for creating reserve lists for temporary recruitment.
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