share on
New local bus captains will receive a S$450 increase in starting monthly salaries and an additional S$2,000 in first-year sign-on bonuses from January 2027, as Singapore ramps up efforts to attract and retain workers in the public bus sector.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and public transport operators in Singapore will raise the starting salaries of new local bus captains by S$450 per month from January 2027, alongside increasing first-year sign-on bonuses by S$2,000.
The move comes as Singapore continues expanding and improving bus services under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP), while facing challenges in attracting and retaining local bus captains.
According to LTA, the BCEP has introduced 33 new or extended bus routes and improved more than 60 existing services since its launch in July 2024, particularly in newer estates located further from MRT stations.
However, the authority noted that sustaining these service enhancements will require a stronger pipeline of bus captains, while also acknowledging that the profession remains demanding due to shift work and the pressures of ferrying passengers safely and punctually through busy roads. At the same time, the local bus captain workforce is ageing.
For every local bus captain recruited, two are leaving the industry through resignation or retirement, the authority said. The proportion of local bus captains has also declined from 54% in 2021 to 41% in 2025.
To attract more locals into the profession, the Government, in consultation with the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) and bus operators, will fund the salary and sign-on bonus increases.
With the revised package, most local bus captains are expected to earn around S$600 more per month during their first year of service, bringing average monthly salaries to more than S$4,000.
Bus operators have also collectively agreed with NTWU to make a one-time salary adjustment for all in-service bus captains to manage wage relativity and recognise the contributions of existing employees.
Separately, operators said they will continue improving working conditions for bus captains, including reducing split-shift assignments and shortening continuous driving hours on longer routes.
The salary adjustments will take effect from 1 January 2027 following tripartite discussions between LTA, NTWU and public transport operators.
Public transport operators, union and minister welcome bus captain salary and bonus increases
Jeffrey Siow, Acting Minister for Transport said the measures are intended to attract more locals to the profession while improving the sustainability of the role.
"A larger pool of bus captains will also allow us to improve working conditions, including shift arrangements, and make bus driving a more sustainable career," he said.
Yeo Wan Ling, Executive Secretary, NTWU added as the workforce continues to age, it is important to attract younger Singaporeans into the sector while ensuring bus captains have access to meaningful career opportunities, skills development and progression pathways.
"NTWU will continue working closely with tripartite partners to ensure that our public transport workers are fairly rewarded, well-supported, and able to build meaningful and sustainable careers," she further explained.
Leonard Lee, Managing Director, Go-Ahead Singapore said the latest enhancements recognise the contributions of bus captains and support efforts to make the profession a rewarding long-term career.
Separately, Jeffrey Sim, CEO, SBS Transit Group said the measures would support efforts to attract more Singaporeans to the profession and strengthen a strong local core of bus captains over the long term. He added that the company remains focused on providing a supportive work environment through flexible work arrangements, childcare support for eligible employees, competitive incentives, and career progression opportunities across operations and management roles.
Meanwhile, Tan Peng Kuan, Managing Director, SMRT Buses said the announcement could encourage more Singaporeans to consider careers in public transport, while Winston Toh, Managing Director, Tower Transit Singapore said the move better reflects the level of responsibility bus captains manage daily.
The latest measures reflect Singapore’s continued efforts to support bus captains through better working conditions and meaningful career opportunities, while recognising the critical role they play in keeping the country’s public transport system running smoothly, safely and reliably.
share on
