While Go-Ahead’s current bus driver shortage does not breach the terms of its contract, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said yesterday in response to media queries that it expects the London-based operator to fulfil its contractual obligations. Otherwise, “appropriate actions” would be taken, LTA warned, although it did not specify what the requirements are.

On Monday, a little over two weeks after it started operations here, the Republic’s fourth and newest bus operator said it is engaging drivers on a short-term contract basis from SBS Transit and SMRT to cope with “higher than expected” attrition.

Go-Ahead had put the number of drivers who resigned at “fewer than 20”, and they left because they faced difficulties adjusting to an “interlining” model that requires the bus captains to drive a number of different routes during the week, instead of one single route.

The LTA said it approved the “temporary commercial arrangement” — which will last for two months — between Go-Ahead and its rivals to “ensure that commuters continue to be provided with regular bus services while Go-Ahead actively recruits more bus captains”.

Go-Ahead — the largest bus operator in London — made its first foray into Asia last year after winning the contract to operate bus services in Loyang, with the lowest asking price of S$497.7 million. It was the second contract put up for tender by the Government under the bus-contracting model — the first was won by United Kingdom-based Tower Transit.

Go-Ahead started operations on Sept 4 and has 24 services, with one more to begin next year. Transport analyst Dr Park Byung Joon, who lectures at SIM University, said the interlining model is common in the West but it may not be well-received by bus drivers here as it involves “a lot more work” at lower remuneration. “You have to learn and drive more than one route ... In London, the drivers are paid quite well. But (not) in Singapore ... So I don’t blame drivers for not (wanting to do) it,” he said.

He added: “We cannot really conclude yet if these are teething problems or will persist ... but if (Go-Ahead’s) entire schedule is based on heavy interlining, then it could be a concern.”

The shortage of drivers has also seen Go-Ahead turn to Tower Transit — which adopts a “conservative amount” of interlining in Singapore — to run a bus service for employees. The temporary arrangement, which is expected to last for a month, started on Sept 18, the same day Go-Ahead rolled out its second tranche of bus services.

Public transport blog Land Transport Guru reported that eight employee bus routes have been sub-contracted to Tower Transit, which is also a new entrant to the Singapore bus industry.

Responding to TODAY’s queries, Tower Transit confirmed the arrangement. A Go-Ahead spokesperson added: “(The agreement) will allow us to optimise our existing pool of bus captains so that we can focus on serving our commuters.”

On the bus driver shortage, the Go-Ahead spokesperson stressed that the operator is taking steps to address the issue.

“We are scaling down on the interlining ... We will definitely be resolving these (issues) and will not compromise (on) our services to the public.”

Source:
courtesy of TODAY

by KELLY NG

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