SG transport company offers S$5K/month pay for bus captains; S$10K joining bonus

SINGAPORE:  A transport company is looking for bus captains, and the job comes with a monthly salary of S$5,000, plus a joining bonus of S$10,000. For comparison’s sake, the average bus driver’s salary in the country is S$3,030 per month, according to job site Indeed.

“Westpoint Transit is looking for Bus Drivers to join our growing team, who will be in charge of performing and completing daily trips as assigned by the Operations team,” the listing, published earlier this week, on LinkedIn and mycareersfuture reads.

The company has been in the private chartered transportation industry since 1982. It provides corporate and personal shuttle services, such as pick-up and drop-off services, and airport and cruise transfers.

The caveat? Well, the job mainly applies to those already in the industry, as the listing specifies that candidates must not only have a valid driving and vocational license but, perhaps more importantly, have at least one year of relevant experience. The licence needed by bus drivers is a Class 4 one that allows individuals to drive heavy motor vehicles and tractors that exceed 2,500kg.

The other qualifications are as follows: candidates must be available to work flexible hours, including weekends and holidays, have excellent driving skills and knowledge of traffic laws and regulations, have good communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to remain calm and focused in stressful situations.

The joining bonus also comes with a bit of fine print and a three-year contract. But signing perks include group insurance provided by Prudential and seven days of annual leave after confirmation.

Westpoint Transit’s bus drivers will be responsible for operating the buses safely, bringing passengers to their destinations, and taking charge of maintenance, cleaning and inspecting the vehicle before and after trips.

Interested parties should apply before Jan 15, 2024. The company is looking to hire 30 new bus drivers by the end of next year.

The salary offered by Westpoint Transit follows the increasing trend of blue-collar wages being higher than white-collar ones, reversing a decades-long trend. A piece from The Wall Street Journal from last August says that the COVID-19 pandemic is mainly responsible for this.

Many have hailed this development, saying that the trend could considerably impact countries’ job market and the economy as a whole. It is especially welcome in countries with high living costs, including Singapore.

Read also: Inflation expected to ease, 4% salary increments to come in 2024 /TISG