15% Pay Increase for SBS Bus Drivers

SBS Transit has increased the basic pay of its bus captains by 15 per cent to $1,375 a month to try and attract more Singaporeans to the job.

Together with other allowances, they can earn more than $1,900 every month in their first year of employment.

Currently, SBS has 5,500 bus captains, 38 per cent of whom are Singaporeans.

The lack of interest from Singaporeans towards this job has been a problem in the last few years with the bus operators needing to ramp up recruitment to meet new frequency guidelines by Authorities.

SBS and SMRT Fined Again

By Maria Almenoar

BUS operators SBS Transit and SMRT have been fined again by the Public Transport Council for failing to meet service standards in its regular six-monthly review.

SBS Transit was fined $500 - less than its fine of $4,500 in the last review - for having overcrowded buses on five occasions.

SMRT was also fined $200 - up from its $100 in the last review - for not meeting the scheduled headway standards on one occasion and having over crowded buses on another.

The standard to be met for headways is that bus services must have at least 85 per cent of its trips depart the interchange no more than five minutes from its schedule headway.

As for bus loading, each service must not exceed 95 per cent during weekday peak hours.