New academy set up to train bus captains

An academy for bus captains will be set up in the second half of this year to equip newcomers with foundational skills and to deepen those of existing drivers, reported The Straits Times. 

The Singapore Bus Academy, located at the Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability in Jurong East, will first roll out a five day compulsory course for all new drivers. It will cover safe driving, customer service and labour-union relations. Aimed at raising the professionalism of bus-driving as a career, the courses will complement training provided by individual bus firms.

The centre is the anchor initiative of an extensive manpower plan for the bus sector, unveiled by Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo yesterday, and is focused on attracting and retaining Singaporeans.

Mrs. Teo said the Government wants to ramp up the pool of bus captains from 9,200 currently to about 12,000 over the next five years - a 30 percent increase. "Our aim is to transform the bus profession so that it is more attractive, skills-intensive and respected. In particular, we will help the Singaporean core of bus professionals enjoy good career development and be ready for future transitions," she said.