Not sure why PRC takes precedence. Imagine a day when buses
don't come due to lack of drivers, and no Singaporean wants to be a
bus driver.
This quota is controlled by MOM.
The numbers from their current online quota calculator indicates PRC
quota is at 8%. In 2012, the actual percentage stands at 13%
If the figures in the calculator are correct, then the operator
can no longer hire additional PRC drivers. Besides, there should be
a lot more Hong Kong and Taiwanese drivers in Singapore (unless,
they are all taken up by Malaysian drivers).
The inability to hire Singaporean drivers brings massive grief
to the operators, because it directly affects their foreign driver
quota.
However, if any operator tries to raise Singaporean drivers' pay
to increase recruitment, pay disparity will increase and it will
run into the same set of problems faced by SMRT a few years
back.