Transport Minister Lui on management of bus drivers
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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 -
Three lives are gone due to the lack of supervision from the company.
This goes to show that check and balance from the ministry must be done on the company to ensure that the standard of the drivers are up to requirement.
Why is the one in charge running away from responsibility when work need to be done ?
We are talking about innocent live lost and not about a few train being spray painted.
Why beat around the bush about market driven forces ?
Do we need to put him at the scene of the accident before he finally decided to do anything ?
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Everything is money now.
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High quality purchase like Citaro and Wright must be driven with high quality driver. SBS and SMRT must increase pay to get more high quality local driver and training!
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What do you mean by high quality driver?
Dun say bus hor..
Just this afternoon went out, you see maniac car drivers.. B signal also dunno, still beat red light.
All it just take it looking out ahead, dun itchy leg each n everytime brake or accelerate only (slow down when need to), be alert at junctions, look out for hazards, and more importantly, keep yourself happy on the road and relax...
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Originally posted by Medicated Oil:
Three lives are gone due to the lack of supervision from the company.
This goes to show that check and balance from the ministry must be done on the company to ensure that the standard of the drivers are up to requirement.
Why is the one in charge running away from responsibility when work need to be done ?
We are talking about innocent live lost and not about a few train being spray painted.
Why beat around the bush about market driven forces ?
Do we need to put him at the scene of the accident before he finally decided to do anything ?
Eh
So what about the Anak Bukit Mercedes accident? So what's the theory.. In fact that one is worst to be honest, for that junction has alrdy clocked a lot of all sorts of accident for Clementi Rd approach.
End of the day, they're all traffic related accidents.
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To be honest both companies training are not adequate for locals let alone foreigners,The training module are mostly short cut.Seriously the newbies must learn more about local driving habits and to expect the unexpected rather than to employ these people's just for the sake of quotas!Just imagine those lousy drivers can take bendy/DDs training if they have no accident for the past 6 mths?Really absurd when the trainers itself sleep when the trainee drive??The TP for the final test also need to rotate and not the familiar old faces with connection with the companies too.Transport ministar also made a mistake saying 61% are locals/PRs it's 61% are either Chinamans or Malaysians...Those locals are either uncles or above 45 years old.Seriously Chinamans should learn more English better before they are qualified to drive a bus...And the way they drive also just waiting accident to happen anytime...
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we are waiting for major accident to happen that involve the lives of 50 people
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Originally posted by laurence82:
we are waiting for major accident to happen that involve the lives of 50 people
Unless SBS and SMRT continue to buy Citaro and Citaro G or Wright. Lousy bodywork crapilang accident the whole front disappear! -
Originally posted by SMB228X:
Unless SBS and SMRT continue to buy Citaro and Citaro G or Wright. Lousy bodywork crapilang accident the whole front disappear!you... are an idiot
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This is the "best" transport minister to date. 30min disruptions are OK and to be expected.
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Originally posted by SevenEleven:
This is the "best" transport minister to date. 30min disruptions are OK and to be expected.
He summerise in 2 words... "Bo Bian"... Fullstop... -
Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:
He summerise in 2 words... "Bo Bian"... Fullstop...
I can guarantee he will not draw that kind of "Lui" after 2016.As bad as Malboro Tan.
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Originally posted by sbst275:
What do you mean by high quality driver?
Dun say bus hor..
Just this afternoon went out, you see maniac car drivers.. B signal also dunno, still beat red light.
All it just take it looking out ahead, dun itchy leg each n everytime brake or accelerate only (slow down when need to), be alert at junctions, look out for hazards, and more importantly, keep yourself happy on the road and relax...
Driving buses very stressful one.
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Originally posted by SMB228X:
Unless SBS and SMRT continue to buy Citaro and Citaro G or Wright. Lousy bodywork crapilang accident the whole front disappear!
Please no Citaro G or any bendy buses. -
If i see more stories about bus running down people...i will run for cover whever i see one bus.
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Hi Bus Fans,
When it comes to foreign bus drivers:
I am a 'well mannered' bus driver from Berlin, Germany, with more than a decade worth of experience.
Once again, I would like to offer my services to SBST or SMRT.
I have applied a couple of times, but it seems that Europeans cannot be employed as Bus Captains in Singapore.
I am NOT an economic migrant, as I can earn more money here in Germany, and life is cheaper here as well. Instead, I like Singapore so much that I'd like to live there permanently, even if it means less pay.
SBST got my e-mail address; please contact me if employment opportunities for Europeans should arise sometime in the future ...