SINGAPORE : Transport operators will need to hire
about 1,600 more bus drivers for the 800 new buses that will go on
the roads over five years.
Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Transport Minister
Lui Tuck Yew said the government will not micro-manage wages or
employment terms to attract and retain sufficient
manpower.
He added that operators must also ensure drivers -
no matter what their nationality - are given adequate training and
are appropriately qualified.
Mr Lui said 1,600 bus drivers needed for the 800 additional buses
will be a significant increase in the overall manpower requirement
facing the public bus industry.
And operators will have to overcome the challenges on their
own.
He said: "The public bus operators will also have to compete with
other companies that similarly have to target locals in the face of
a reduction in intake of foreign labour.
"Nonetheless, how the public bus operators intend to improve their
wages and employment terms to attract and retain sufficient bus
drivers are ultimately matters for the PTOs (public transport
operators) to decide as the government will not micro-manage such
matters. However, this is clearly a top priority for both bus
operators, and I understand they are currently in talks with the
unions on this.'
MP for Chua Chu Kang GRC Zaqy Mohamad raised concerns about foreign
bus drivers, following the fatal accident involving a SBS transit
bus driver in Sengkang last week.
He said: "Because I am quite certain that a significant number of
this increase would include bus drivers. Just last week, we had an
accident involving two foreign bus drivers. I would like to ask the
minister what are the measures put in place to ensure our foreign
bus drivers are well qualified, adaptable and can assimilate as
well and do their job effectively here and without compromising the
safety of other other road users and pedestrians."
Mr Lui said that currently, about 61 per cent of bus drivers are
locals or Permanent Residents. About 26 per cent are Malaysians and
about 13 per cent are from China.
He said training of drivers must go beyond equipping them with
skills for the job.
Mr Lui said: "Indeed, we are all saddened by that incident that
happened in Sengkang last week, and regardless whether it is a
local driver or foreign driver, I think it is something that we
want to very much avoid as much possible.
"The more important thing actually is to make sure (that),
regardless of nationality, every driver is adequately trained,
appropriately qualified, and especially if they come from abroad,
then they are given the kind of orientation that will help them
familiarise themselves with the peculiarities of the system in
Singapore.
"We must not only train the drivers in terms of equipping them with
the skills, but preparing them for life in Singapore which may be
very different from what they are accustomed to in the past, hence
part of the training programme is to make sure we infuse them with
the responsibility that they carry when they drive a vehicle like a
bus and to make sure that they pay stringent attention to road
conditions (and make) sure that they operate their vehicles in a
safe manner as possible."
There were concerns over bus drivers working long hours and if a
review of working conditions is needed to enhance public
safety.
Mr Lui said he believes the ratio of two drivers to operate each
bus is adequate.
He said what is important is to emphasise safety and ensure drivers
are properly trained and are familiar with routes and road
conditions.
Similar to the public bus operators, there is a limit to how much
the government can and should intervene in the labour market for
the wider private bus industry.
Mr Lui said in particular, bus driver salaries for this sector
should remain market-driven, and private bus operators should make
their own commercial decisions on how to ensure that their
businesses remain viable in the face of a tightening labour
market.
- CNA/cc/ms
