A sweeping majority of German rail workers express deep skepticism regarding the reliability of Deutsche Bahn’s (DB) reporting systems for operational disruptions and potential hazards, according to a recent survey conducted by the powerful railworkers’ union, GDL. The findings, revealed in a report by “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, highlight a systemic breakdown in communication and a critical erosion of trust within the national rail infrastructure.
The GDL survey paints a stark picture: 19% of respondents deemed the reporting systems “completely unreliable” while a further 34% characterized them as “rather unreliable”. A concerning 28% offered only a lukewarm assessment, acknowledging a mixed level of dependability. This palpable lack of confidence stems primarily from a pervasive lack of transparency, with almost 80% of GDL-affiliated rail workers stating they receive little to no feedback on the reports they file. This absence of confirmation leaves workers uncertain whether their warnings were even acted upon, whether necessary repairs were initiated, or whether speed restrictions were implemented.
“Ignoring the concerns and impressions of rail workers risks making decisions divorced from reality” stated GDL Chairman Mario Reiß. “Reliable information chains are essential for building trust and without trust, a robust safety culture simply cannot function”. This comment follows a recent declaration by DB Infrago CEO Philipp Nagl, who emphasized the need for safety to be “a leadership matter.
The survey’s findings emerge directly in the wake of an internal investigation by the law firm Gleiss Lutz concerning the 2022 train accident in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which also scrutinized the efficacy of these reporting systems. The issue has recurrently surfaced during ongoing legal proceedings at the Munich II Regional Court.
However, the situation has been further compounded by a concerning lack of access to the Gleiss Lutz report itself. Despite being available since September 1st, the crucial 340-page document remains inaccessible to the Eisenbahn-Bundesamt (EBA), Germany’s central railway authority. A DB Infrago spokesperson offered only a vague assurance that “access to the entire report has been promised to the EBA” while the EBA itself claims to have requested the report from DB five weeks ago. Critically, the status of the Bundesverkehrsministerium’s (Federal Ministry of Transport) familiarity with the report remains unknown, with the ministry failing to respond to inquiries regarding its full review within a 48-hour timeframe.
This sluggish response from key regulatory bodies raises significant questions regarding accountability and transparency within Germany’s rail oversight structure. The GDL’s call for political and corporate leadership to take “employee impressions seriously” is met with a troubling lack of responsiveness, potentially jeopardizing the safety and reliability of Germany’s vital rail network and fueling further anxieties among the workforce.