Trains on Time is the DSB (Danish railway system) mantra. This week Paradoxical News discovered, that Trains on Time really means Taxis on Time.
PN spoke with a DSB train driver, whose job it was - every other day or so - to drive a train from one part of Southern Denmark to another late at night. Since he couldn't get to and from the initial point without making use of a taxi, this was the solution for DSB. The ride would amount to just above 1.400 Danish kroner (almost 300 US dollars) one way - the same amount or a little less back from his ending station. When he was not on guard, someone else would be. So according to our DSB man, this kind of taxi trip is taking place every day, year round, to an app. cost for DSB of one million Danish kroner per month - or 12 million Danish kroner per year.
PN wondered if it wouldn't be easier to get someone else in the staff, who lived closer by, to make the train drive - instead of this overuse of taxi rides on the DSB budget. And since 100 percent owned by the state, on tax payer money. He just shook his head - go figure!
Now, perhaps 12 million Danish kroner doesn't sound alarming to an approximate DSB turn over of 11 billion Danish kroner. But still, since the tax payers are paying - wouldn't that be an obvious area to make cutbacks? And perhaps in reality ensure Trains on Time. By simply planning the staffs on guard to fit the rides a little better? Or is DSB just trying to keep the taxi drivers happy?
PN spoke with a DSB train driver, whose job it was - every other day or so - to drive a train from one part of Southern Denmark to another late at night. Since he couldn't get to and from the initial point without making use of a taxi, this was the solution for DSB. The ride would amount to just above 1.400 Danish kroner (almost 300 US dollars) one way - the same amount or a little less back from his ending station. When he was not on guard, someone else would be. So according to our DSB man, this kind of taxi trip is taking place every day, year round, to an app. cost for DSB of one million Danish kroner per month - or 12 million Danish kroner per year.
PN wondered if it wouldn't be easier to get someone else in the staff, who lived closer by, to make the train drive - instead of this overuse of taxi rides on the DSB budget. And since 100 percent owned by the state, on tax payer money. He just shook his head - go figure!
Now, perhaps 12 million Danish kroner doesn't sound alarming to an approximate DSB turn over of 11 billion Danish kroner. But still, since the tax payers are paying - wouldn't that be an obvious area to make cutbacks? And perhaps in reality ensure Trains on Time. By simply planning the staffs on guard to fit the rides a little better? Or is DSB just trying to keep the taxi drivers happy?