Overview
- Drivers, conductors and dispatchers complained in internal chats about extreme workloads, citing 12- to 14-hour shifts and a lack of appreciation.
- In an interview on the employee app 'echt:klar', Fernverkehr board member Michael Peterson told staff to expect about 500 position reductions in 2026 and confirmed the end of 'Volles Funktionieren'.
- Peterson also indicated no near-term relief for chaotic duty rosters next year, according to the accounts reported by Süddeutsche Zeitung.
- Multiple messages expressed lost confidence in Peterson and the Fernverkehr board, criticizing a management culture seen as focused on projects and presentations over frontline realities.
- DB leadership circles told reporters the previous 'S3' strategy under Richard Lutz had been discontinued with immediate effect, while some staff voiced cautious hope for incoming CEO Evelyn Palla’s forthcoming strategy presentation.