Hiring problems caused by widespread drug use are hampering efforts to improve bus services, says Public Transport Director Dan Simmons.

In last year's Budget, Government pledged to run buses every 15 minutes from 6 a.m. to midnight on routes seven, eight, ten and eleven.

The plan, due to start last April was hailed as a policy to help curb congestion and drunk driving but nearly a year on Mr. Simmons said the 'every 15 minutes' schedule was only running from around 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. because of staffing issues.

Mr. Simmons said a "significant portion" of applicants for driver jobs were caught out by drug screening.

"It is our society, it appears to me that a lot of people are doing recreational drugs," he said.

Asked about substances showing up in the urine tests he said: "Marijuana is prevalent, alcohol to a lesser degree because it is a legal drug — if a person was still drunk it would tell you, that doesn't happen very often.

"Cocaine is something picked up on a regular basis and there are harder drugs — heroin and PCP."

He said random drug testing of employees, which has just been brought in for ferry boat operators after a pilot crashed a ferry while drunk, had been routine at PTB since 1994.

About five employees are tested every month and Mr. Simmons said less than a dozen were caught out each year.

They get referred to an Employment Assistant Programme where further random tests are carried out. They must complete the programme to remain employed.

Despite staffing problems Mr. Simmons is hoping to get the new schedule running by mid-year.

The Budget added six more staff to PTB's total giving 264 workers, enough to run the expanded service said Mr. Simmons, if all the posts could be filled.

But he added: "In 2009 we will face challenges we have never seen before.

"There are two megaships at the same time, we will probably have two cruise ships in St. George's at the same time, there's a smaller berth in Hamilton.

"They could all come at the same time and we would have to deal with that."