About 90 bus services with longer waiting times following COVID-19 infection among bus captains
A student uses the pedestrian crossing at the entrance of Tampines Bus Interchange. (File Photo: CNA/Calvin Oh)
SINGAPORE: About 90 bus services have experienced longer waiting times of not more than three minutes, as part of contingency plans in ensuring smooth operations as more bus captains test positive for COVID-19.
"Due to high vaccination and booster rates, as well as tight safe management measures, infected bus captains account for less than 5 per cent of the total bus captain population," said Senior Minister of State for Transport Chee Hong Tat on Monday (Feb 28) in Parliament.
Mr Chee also noted that there has been an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the community due to the infectious Omicron variant.
Nonetheless, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and bus operators are "watching the situation closely" and will activate plans to ensure that essential bus services continue to operate, added Mr Chee.
He was responding to a parliamentary question by Member of Parliament Joan Pereira (PAP - Tanjong Pagar) on how the surge in COVID-19 infections among bus drivers has impacted public bus transport and waiting times for commuters.
If there is an increase in the number of infected bus captains, contingency measures will kick in, said Mr Chee. This includes "lengthening of bus service headways, starting with low demand bus services", he added
"Where possible, LTA and the bus operators will also deploy more double-deck buses for services with higher loading."
TURN TO NEW, RETIRED, FORMER BUS CAPTAINS
In response, Ms Pereira asked whether bus companies have a group of reserve or recently retired bus drivers that they can turn to in times of need.
"We do have a group of recently retired and also former bus captains. ... We are trying to increase the number of local bus captains by reaching out to more individuals to join us, to take on this important and meaningful role, to be part of the public transport workforce. At the same time, we know it is not easy to train a bus captain because it takes time," said Mr Chee.
"So while we try to bring back the former bus captains, retired bus captains, we also need time to train new ones. So this is an ongoing effort. We want to do both."
