“Important to hire Singaporeans” – $5K pay for bus driver jobs draws over 1.4k applicants, including uni grads

SINGAPORE: Local private bus company Westpoint Transit has drawn significant attention with its recent recruitment drive, which has already attracted over 1,400 applicants. Announced in December last year, the company is offering competitive salaries of up to $5,000 for bus drivers, which has sparked widespread interest, particularly among Singaporeans and Permanent Residents.

The company’s enticing offer includes a base salary of at least $3,500 for medium-sized bus drivers and $5,000 for drivers of the larger 45-seater charter buses. Westpoint Transit is also offering a generous joining bonus—$7,500 for medium-sized bus drivers and $10,000 for charter bus drivers—conditional upon a three-year tenure with the company.

According to Shin Min Daily News, all of the 30 successful applicants thus far are Singaporean, including five who hold university degrees. Among them is a 28-year-old Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) graduate who has become Westpoint’s youngest employee.

Westpoint Transit’s director, Lionel Lee, revealed that the company received 1,478 applications, with 45 percent of these from Singaporeans or Permanent Residents. Another 45 percent of applicants are from Malaysia, with the remaining 10 percent comprising individuals from China, India, Myanmar, and other nationalities.

Mr Lee emphasized that while many local applicants have academic qualifications from junior colleges, polytechnics, or institutes of technical education, the company prioritizes technical skills in its hiring process.

Mr Lee, a second-generation leader at Westpoint, aims to combat the manpower shortage and reshape the public perception of bus driving as a low-paying, labor-intensive job through these competitive offers and bonuses.

“The most important thing to me is to hire Singaporeans because there are many of them who are very interested in the job. Why should we deny them the chance?” Mr Lee said. He noted that some of the new hires were former white-collar workers, such as bank employees, who started driving buses part-time on weekends. The revised pay structure encouraged many to make a full career switch.

“Many of them joined because of their passion, and this salary can allow them to continue to provide for their families in the long term,” Lee added.

Originally planning to hire 30 individuals, Westpoint Transit has decided to extend the recruitment drive following the recent expansion of its fleet. The company welcomed 21 new buses on Friday and expects an additional 10 buses within the year, bringing its total fleet to 68 buses.

This recruitment drive and fleet expansion highlight Westpoint Transit’s commitment to addressing workforce challenges and supporting local employment while enhancing its service capabilities.

TISG/