Taxi, private-hire drivers can switch to bus driving under new career pathway amid AV rollout

Training will run two to six months and can be taken part-time, with a shorter track for drivers who already hold a Class 4 licence.

Public buses queue to enter a bus stop. (File photo: Facebook/Land Transport Authority)

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SINGAPORE: Taxi and private-hire car drivers can switch to bus driving under a new career pathway launched on Monday (Sep 28), as autonomous vehicles are progressively introduced on Singapore's roads .

Drivers' experience remains highly valued as the sector evolves, said the Ministry of Transport, the Skills and Workforce Development Agency and the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), which jointly announced the pathway in a media release.

Autonomous vehicle numbers are expected to reach the hundreds in the next two years, so job displacement is not "imminent", they said.

A support package is nonetheless in place to give drivers more options to diversify their skills and progress in their careers.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling announced a transition package during a parliamentary motion in July. It comprises career conversion programmes and up to S$1,600 (US$1,250) in training incentives . One of those programmes trains drivers for roles in the autonomous vehicle sector, including safety operators, remote operators and fleet management. The new pathway is another option for drivers who want to become bus drivers but need more flexibility and support during the transition, the organisations said.

Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling announced a transition package during a parliamentary motion in July. It comprises career conversion programmes and up to S$1,600 (US$1,250) in training incentives .

One of those programmes trains drivers for roles in the autonomous vehicle sector, including safety operators, remote operators and fleet management.

The new pathway is another option for drivers who want to become bus drivers but need more flexibility and support during the transition, the organisations said.

Taxi and private-hire drivers transitioning to the public bus sector can train part-time or full-time, allowing them flexibility to balance work with personal responsibilities.

The programme lasts two to six months and includes on-the-job training in areas such as electric vehicle diagnostics and bus interchange operations.

Drivers who hold a Class 4 licence, which qualifies them to operate heavy motor vehicles with an unladen weight exceeding 2,500kg, are eligible for a shorter programme and a faster transition.

"Many point-to-point drivers value point-to-point work for its flexibility to balance work and personal or caregiving responsibilities. Government, industry and unions have worked together to build flexibility for the point-to-point driver to bus captain pathway, including part-time on-the-job training," the organisations said.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) facilitated the development and implementation of the pathway, which was formulated in consultation with NTUC, its affiliated National Private Hire Vehicles Association and National Taxi Association, and the National Transport Workers’ Union.

Both the career conversion programme and new pathway are administered by the Singapore National Employers Federation.

Ms Dilys Boey, chief executive of the Skills and Workforce Development Agency, said workers need access to different pathways as Singapore's transport landscape evolves. She added that the training builds on drivers' existing experience while equipping them with emerging competencies needed in the broader transport industry.

NTUC's assistant secretary-general Yeo Wan Ling said taxi and private-hire drivers will remain needed even as autonomous vehicles are introduced.

"We are also working with the public transport operators on flexible work arrangements, so that drivers have the option of balancing bus driving and other work opportunities," said Ms Yeo, who is adviser to the National Private Hire Vehicles Association and National Taxi Association, and executive secretary of the National Transport Workers' Union.

"As mobility evolves, we will continue working to create more opportunities and pathways for our drivers, so that the future of mobility provides flexibility, viable livelihoods and meaningful choices for them."

Singapore's four public bus operators – SBS Transit, SMRT Buses, Tower Transit and Go-Ahead Singapore – welcomed the move, saying more bus drivers will strengthen the manpower pipeline and support the industry's needs.

In June, the operators, the LTA and the National Transport Workers' Union announced higher starting salaries and larger sign-on bonuses for new Singaporean and permanent resident bus drivers from next year to help attract and retain drivers.

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培训时长为两到六个月，可以兼职学习，对于已经持有 4 级驾照的驾驶员，培训时间会更短。

公交车排队进入车站。（资料图片：Facebook/陆路交通管理局）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

新加坡：随着自动驾驶汽车逐步引入新加坡道路，出租车和私召车司机可以转行成为公交车司机，这项新的职业发展路径于周一（9 月 28 日）推出。

交通部、技能与劳动力发展局和全国职工总会（NTUC）在一份联合新闻稿中宣布了这一发展路径，并表示随着行业的不断发展，驾驶员的经验仍然备受重视。

他们表示，预计未来两年内自动驾驶汽车的数量将达到数百辆，因此工作岗位的流失不会“迫在眉睫”。

尽管如此，政府还是出台了一系列支持措施，为司机提供更多选择，帮助他们拓展技能，提升职业发展。

CNA游戏 猜词游戏 逐行破解单词 流行词游戏 用给定的字母组成单词 迷你数独 小谜题，大挑战 迷你填字游戏 小方格，大挑战 单词搜索 尽可能多地找出单词 显示更多 显示更少 交通部高级政务部长孙雪玲在7月的一次国会动议中宣布了一项过渡配套方案。该方案包括职业转换计划和高达1600新元（1250美元）的培训奖励。其中一项计划旨在培训司机从事自动驾驶汽车领域的相关工作，包括安全操作员、远程操作员和车队管理。相关机构表示，这条新途径为那些想成为公交车司机但需要在过渡期间获得更多灵活性和支持的司机提供了另一种选择。

交通部高级政务部长孙雪玲在7月份的一次国会动议中宣布了一项过渡配套方案。该方案包括职业转换计划和高达1600新元（1250美元）的培训奖励。

其中一个项目旨在培训驾驶员，使其胜任自动驾驶汽车领域的各种职位，包括安全操作员、远程操作员和车队管理人员。

这些组织表示，这条新途径为那些想成为公交车司机但需要在过渡期间获得更多灵活性和支持的司机提供了另一种选择。

出租车和私家车司机转行到公共汽车行业可以选择兼职或全职培训，这样可以灵活地平衡工作和个人责任。

该计划持续两到六个月，包括电动汽车诊断和公交枢纽运营等领域的在职培训。

持有 4 级驾照（即有资格驾驶空载重量超过 2500 公斤的重型机动车辆）的驾驶员，有资格参加更短的培训计划并更快地完成过渡。

“许多点对点司机看重点对点工作的灵活性，因为它能让他们更好地平衡工作和个人或照顾家庭的责任。政府、行业和工会一直在共同努力，为点对点司机晋升为公交车司机的职业发展路径创造灵活性，包括提供兼职在职培训，”这些组织表示。

陆路交通管理局 (LTA) 协助制定和实施了该方案，该方案是在与全国职工总会 (NTUC)、其附属的全国私召车协会和全国出租车协会以及全国运输工人联合会协商后制定的。

职业转换计划和新途径均由新加坡全国雇主联合会负责管理。

技能与劳动力发展局首席执行官迪莉丝·博伊女士表示，随着新加坡交通运输格局的演变，劳动者需要获得不同的发展途径。她补充说，培训以驾驶员现有的经验为基础，同时帮助他们掌握更广泛的交通运输行业所需的新兴技能。

全国职工总会助理秘书长杨婉玲表示，即使自动驾驶汽车投入使用，出租车和私召车司机仍然必不可少。

“我们也在与公共交通运营商合作，制定灵活的工作安排，以便司机可以选择平衡公交车驾驶和其他工作机会，”全国私租车协会和全国出租车协会的顾问、全国运输工人联合会的执行秘书杨女士说。

“随着出行方式的演变，我们将继续努力为我们的司机创造更多机会和途径，以便未来的出行方式能够为他们提供灵活性、可行的生计和有意义的选择。”

新加坡的四家公共巴士运营商——SBS Transit、SMRT Buses、Tower Transit 和 Go-Ahead Singapore——对这一举措表示欢迎，称更多的巴士司机将加强人力储备，并支持该行业的需求。

今年6月，巴士运营商、陆路交通管理局和全国运输工人联合会宣布，从明年起，新加坡公民和永久居民巴士司机的起薪将提高，签约奖金也将增加，以帮助吸引和留住司机。

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