Public transport fare adjustments to take into account bus drivers' wage increase
By Dylan Loh | Posted: 06 December 2012 1626 hrs
SINGAPORE: Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said on Thursday public transport fare adjustments, due next year, will take into account the need to raise bus drivers' wages.
Mr Lui was speaking for the first time in the aftermath of the illegal strike by bus drivers from China last week, and said public transport cost increases over the years have outpaced fare adjustments.
He was trying out the route of a new service on Thursday under the government's billion-dollar Bus Service Enhancement Programme.
Mr Lui said authorities will look closely at what the fare review committee says about how adjustments should be made.
He said there is concern of the lingering effects of the recent strike on recruitment and retention of bus drivers.
Mr Lui said: "Any fare adjustment will allow the two operators to have more resources, in time to come, to make further salary adjustments to their drivers. We recognise that the drivers need to be paid more. (The) question is, where is that money coming from?
"So we need to see the relationship between any fare adjustment, wage increase, and any other forms of government support that we might be required to give to the operators."
From December 16, two new SBS Transit bus services will start plying under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme.
Service 50, which will start service on December 16, will cover Ang Mo Kio, Yio Chu Kang, Sengkang and Punggol.
Express Service 513 will start on December 17, connecting residents of Tampines to the Central Business District. This service only runs during the morning and evening peak period on weekdays.
In addition, four new bus services will be added to the bus network in the first quarter of 2013.
Three of them come under the government's enhancement programme, while the other is a trunk service by SBS Transit at its own cost.
- CNA/de
By Dylan Loh | Posted: 06 December 2012 1626 hrs
SINGAPORE: Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said on Thursday public transport fare adjustments, due next year, will take into account the need to raise bus drivers' wages.
Mr Lui was speaking for the first time in the aftermath of the illegal strike by bus drivers from China last week, and said public transport cost increases over the years have outpaced fare adjustments.
He was trying out the route of a new service on Thursday under the government's billion-dollar Bus Service Enhancement Programme.
Mr Lui said authorities will look closely at what the fare review committee says about how adjustments should be made.
He said there is concern of the lingering effects of the recent strike on recruitment and retention of bus drivers.
Mr Lui said: "Any fare adjustment will allow the two operators to have more resources, in time to come, to make further salary adjustments to their drivers. We recognise that the drivers need to be paid more. (The) question is, where is that money coming from?
"So we need to see the relationship between any fare adjustment, wage increase, and any other forms of government support that we might be required to give to the operators."
From December 16, two new SBS Transit bus services will start plying under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme.
Service 50, which will start service on December 16, will cover Ang Mo Kio, Yio Chu Kang, Sengkang and Punggol.
Express Service 513 will start on December 17, connecting residents of Tampines to the Central Business District. This service only runs during the morning and evening peak period on weekdays.
In addition, four new bus services will be added to the bus network in the first quarter of 2013.
Three of them come under the government's enhancement programme, while the other is a trunk service by SBS Transit at its own cost.
- CNA/de
