Go-Ahead bus captains to get $1,865 basic wage

Go-Ahead bus captains to get $1,865 basic wage

Singapore's fourth public bus operator Go-Ahead will be offering local bus captains a starting basic salary of at least $1,865 per month.

This was revealed as the London-based transport firm outlined its employment terms when it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Transport Workers' Union today (Feb 15).

The basic wage matches the amount offered by Tower Transit, another new public bus operator, and is five to 15 per cent higher than that earned by SBS Transit and SMRT drivers on top of their other allowances and incentives, The Straits Times reported.

Go-Ahead will be providing each bus captain performance-related bonuses, as well as an annual allowance of $430 for a range of health and wellness, learning and development and leisure programmes.

Experienced bus captains will get a $2,000 sign-on bonus, while all new employees will receive a one-off retention bonus of $1,000.

All employees can get to apply for up to two days of elder care leave per year, and female employees get up to 26 weeks of paid maternity leave.

"I started off as a bus driver in London 21 years ago and can relate to the aspirations of frontline service personnel," said Mr Nigel Wood, the managing director of Go-Ahead Singapore. "Many wish to provide for themselves and their families, to work in a comfortable and nurturing environment, and to be given opportunities to grow. We have developed an employment package in close consultation with the union."

Go-Ahead, which will take over the new Loyang bus depot, aims to hire approximately 700 bus captains to run a network of 25 bus routes across Changi, Pasir Ris, Punggol and Loyang by the third quarter of this year.

huizhen@sph.com.sg

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