More of SMRT staff bonus to be linked to bus and rail ops

Transport operator SMRT is looking to tie a bigger portion of its staff bonuses to how smoothly train and bus services are run, using a team-based incentive system, reported The Straits Times. For example, rolling stock maintenance crews, who are tasked with keeping trains well-serviced, will be evaluated partly by how reliable their trains are in operation.

Bus drivers and operation staff at depots will also be evaluated as a team, and will have key performance indicators (KPIs) such as running bus services on schedule and meeting safety standards.

SMRT Vice President for Human Resources Gerard Koh said 70 percent of staff bonuses is tied to operational KPIs, and will be increased to 80 percent with the team-based incentives. "These may be paid on top of the two to three months of annual bonuses that SMRT staff get," he added.

The scheme will also help distribute earnings from the Government's Bus Service Reliability Framework, a carrot-and-stick programme motivating operators to improve the consistency of bus arrivals through monetary rewards and penalties.