In order to attract more locals to become bus captains, their starting salaries will be increased by S$450 from 1 Jan 2027.
To that end, working conditions for the job will also improve, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA), National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) and public bus operators in a joint statement on Wednesday (3 June).
The rise in starting salaries will be funded by the Government, following tripartite discussions between LTA, NTWU and the four bus operators, the statement said.
New local bus captains will also enjoy a S$2,000 jump in sign-on bonus during the first year.
This effectively raises the pay of most local bus captains by S$600 more per month in their first year of service — bringing their average monthly salaries to more than S$4,000, including overtime pay, allowances and bonuses.
All existing bus captains will also see their salaries go up, in order to ensure fairness in their wages compared with the newcomers, improve retention and recognise their contributions.
The one-time pay bump was agreed with NTWU by the four bus operators: SBS Transit, SMRT, Tower Transit and Go-Ahead Singapore.
In addition, the operators have agreed to improve the working conditions of bus captains by cutting the number of split-shift assignments — where bus captains drive only during the morning and evening peak hours and are unpaid in between.
Continuous driving time on long bus routes will also be shortened.
The measures come as bus services across Singapore have been expanding via the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP), especially in newer estates located further away from MRT stations.
While “a strong pipeline” of bus captains is needed for these expansions, it is “challenging” to attract and retain new bus captains, the statement said, adding:
We recognise that bus captains have a challenging job, with shift work being the norm, and the pressures of ferrying passengers safely and punctually through busy roads.
At the same time, Singapore’s workforce of bus captains is ageing, the statement noted.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said the current median age of local bus drivers is 56.
Many are to retire in the coming years, he added, with LTA estimating that for every local bus captain added, two are leaving due to resignation or retirement.
This has resulted in the proportion of local bus captains declining from 54% in 2021 to 41% in 2025.
Thus, many more new drivers are needed even just to sustain the current levels of service, Mr Siow maintained.
He noted that a larger pool of bus captains will allow the improvement working conditions, including shift arrangements, and make bus driving a more sustainable career.
Supporting the people who keep our bus services running reflects Singapore’s commitment to take care of our public transport workers so they can continue serving our commuters well, he added.
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Featured image from MS News.