Transport company De Lijn lowers recruitment standards

Flemish transport company De Lijn has adjusted its conditions for the recruitment of bus and tram drivers, reports De Standaard. The language and mathematics tests will be scrapped. Knowledge of the Dutch language will still be tested during the job interview.

News of the changes came to light after Flemish mobility minister Ben Weyts responded to a query from Flemish MP Annick De Ridder, who questioned De Lijn's selection procedure. De Ridder noted that only four out of 134 candidates made it through to the first selection round.

De Lijn has now re-examined and adjusted its selection criteria, letting go of the need to test for language and maths skills, as these are no longer relevant for a job as a bus driver, according to the minister.

The first step in the selection process is now an online test that candidates can take from home. "The purpose is to reduce the large gap between job application and effective participation in the first trial," Weyts said. "In the period between January and April, this drop-out rate was 44%."

Some medical requirements have also been removed. In the past, candidates could not wear glasses or be obese, which is no longer the case.