Less than 1/3 of bus captains are S'poreans, recruitment & retainment biggest challenge to expanding bus service network

[rtfm38]

Met a guy once who drove bus for awhile. He said he can't take it, the number of near accidents involving pedestrians on a daily basis is too stressful. He say a lot sinkies cross road without looking or staring at screen with headphones on. And buses also have alot of blindspots.

 

[pwongkk]

https://mothership.sg/2025/10/bus-captains-one-third-singaporeans-recruitment-challenge/

Lmao...in tis type of employment will dare to separate Singaporeans from foreigners. Others will say residents

While raising the salaries of bus drivers is one option, that has to be done in tandem with the operating costs of the network, as the costs of funding these salaries come from either the taxpayers or raising the fares, he said.

Hinting at another fare hike coming?

Make millions of profits, yet cannot take more out for hiring or increase existing bus drivers pay.

Want to give them fanciful job titles like bus captains, then must pay them the salary of a ship's captain since both are in the transport industry. Else stick back to the title bus driver.

 

[Medicated Oil]

Unwilling to do ot too

Should be getting easier with auto-pilot.

 

[Ubi-Warrior]

it is not only on Transport Industry,

it's common across the board in almost all industries.


just look at hawker centres, how many old hawkers still manning the stalls.

once they passed on or retired, no one will succeed their biz.


if u look at reno industry, sub con, carpentry, etc, how many locals working ?

almost all workers r foreigners.

they won't be there forever, and no locals willing to do.


there will be a loss of local skill and management, in the end, we have to adopt 3rd world standard, skillset cuz our old craftsmen have no one to pass the skillset or experience to.

Folk obsessed with paying as little as possible for stuff.

5 star standard for 1 star price.

Oddly they themselves do not want to be valued in such a way.

If people can make a decent living , many happy to do , but with many middlemen especially in construction related stuff , very tricky for the individual methinks

 

[pwongkk]

Met a guy once who drove bus for awhile. He said he can't take it, the number of near accidents involving pedestrians on a daily basis is too stressful. He say a lot sinkies cross road without looking or staring at screen with headphones on. And buses also have alot of blindspots.

Is sinkies or economic refugees? A few times my encounter while driving are the later.

 

[RSKeisuke]

the problem is nobody want to foot the bill

govt do not want it nationalise because it will take a further chunk off its annual budget
public listed corporations need to report profit to answer to their shareholders so the cost must be cut from somewhere
foreign drivers willing to take the low pay because it still make some sense when converted to their home currencies

they are actually aware why locals do not want, only way is to gaslight and say fare must go up to cover if they increase driver salary

 

[Ubi-Warrior]

Make millions of profits, yet cannot take more out for hiring or increase existing bus drivers pay.

Want to give them fanciful job titles like bus captains, then must pay them the salary of a ship's captain since both are in the transport industry. Else stick back to the title bus driver.

What is the point of calling them bus Captains!!

Agreed!

 

[dexterkim]

Time for Bangla, Indian and Myanmar bus drivers now.

i saw myanmar lady driver le

 

[dambio]

Another attempt to blame Sinkie so that they can raise price
Victory for 65%

They happy to pay more can alr.

 

[jimmy]

https://mothership.sg/2025/10/bus-captains-one-third-singaporeans-recruitment-challenge/

Lmao...in tis type of employment will dare to separate Singaporeans from foreigners. Others will say residents

While raising the salaries of bus drivers is one option, that has to be done in tandem with the operating costs of the network, as the costs of funding these salaries come from either the taxpayers or raising the fares, he said.

Hinting at another fare hike coming?

They made it easier to be PHV driver than Bus Captain. Who wants to be Bus Captain.

When LTA calls for bus tender, do they have a minimum 70% SG bus captain requirement? If there is none, you cannot blame why the bus companies do not try to build up a SG pool of bus captain. Simply it will make their tender less attractive.

Reverse it and see if there is demand.

 

[dambio]

Make millions of profits, yet cannot take more out for hiring or increase existing bus drivers pay.

Want to give them fanciful job titles like bus captains, then must pay them the salary of a ship's captain since both are in the transport industry. Else stick back to the title bus driver.

Those millions must see how much went to bonuses.

Calling them bus captain is to elevate their status psychologically n make them feel more proud of their job.

 

[dambio]

They made it easier to be PHV driver than Bus Captain. Who wants to be Bus Captain.

When LTA calls for bus tender, do they have a minimum 70% SG bus captain requirement? If there is none, you cannot blame why the bus companies do not try to build up a SG pool of bus captain. Simply it will make their tender less attractive.

Reverse it and see if there is demand.

Tis will soon be a non issue when trialling of driverless buses succeeds. Then they'll add more driverless buses to d fleet. N eventually whole bus fleet will be driverless in future.

 

[dambio]

Should be getting easier with auto-pilot.

Soon...maybe in another 2 to 3 yrs. N they gotta make d ramp at d back auto too. For those with disabilities to board.

Dun tell me they really gonna put a person on board to monitor d operation of d bus. Help ppl with luggage n just to flip d ramp? Like a news I shared quite some time ago.

Like a school bus auntie?

 

[MynameisS]

Hinting at

Yeah lor every year without fail increase fare - to suck more money out of peasants. Nobuddy dare ask questions against

 

[ahnyaahnya]

when in doubt, just blame singaporeans again

Got blame meh? He acknowledged that it is a difficult job

 

[Medicated Oil]

Soon...maybe in another 2 to 3 yrs. N they gotta make d ramp at d back auto too. For those with disabilities to board.

Dun tell me they really gonna put a person on board to monitor d operation of d bus. Help ppl with luggage n just to flip d ramp? Like a news I shared quite some time ago.

Like a school bus auntie?

They need some one to stop the fare cheat.
The other commuters will not give any damn.

 

[ahnyaahnya]

1/3 is very little, what can we do to make bus driving a better jod?

That's what they are trying to do

 

[ahnyaahnya]

If I understand from the article correctly, the operating loss was due to higher operating expenses ("over maintenance"?

Arhhh! You want buses to keep breaking down more frequently too?

 

[dambio]

Yeah lor every year without fail increase fare - to suck more money out of peasants. Nobuddy dare ask questions against

N ppl pay more get lousier services. Lousy Aircon or disruptions. N then lesser seats.

 

[ahnyaahnya]

On the contrary, he admits that it's a difficult job