Rationale for Only Accepting Individuals With Class 3 Driving Licence as Bus Captains

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Transport (a) from 2015 to 2020, how many bus captain applications were rejected annually due to the candidates possessing a Class 3A driving licence instead of a Class 3 driving licence; and (b) what is the rationale for restricting only motorists with a Class 3 driving licence to become bus captains.

Under the Road Traffic Rules, an individual who wants to undergo training to obtain a Class 4A driving licence, which allows for the driving of public buses, must first obtain a Class 3 driving licence. A Class 3 driving licence allows the holder to drive Class 3 motor vehicles, such as cars and small vans, with either manual or automatic transmission.

Some applicants for bus captain positions have Class 3A driving licences, which allow them to drive Class 3 motor vehicles with only automatic transmission. These applicants are required to obtain a Class 3 driving licence, before they are allowed to undergo training to obtain a Class 4A driving licence. There is this requirement because public buses in the past used to operate on manual transmission.

Over the years, our bus fleet has fully shifted to automatic transmission. Given this change, the Traffic Police has approved requests from Public Transport Operators to allow bus captain applicants who have a Class 3A driving licence, to undergo training to obtain a Class 4A driving licence. Between April 2019 to July 2021, 57 out of 60 of such requests were approved. The remaining three requests were rejected as the applicants had outstanding driving offences.

We have received feedback from the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) that the current licencing rules could affect bus captain recruitment efforts, as some applicants could be deterred from applying because they have a Class 3A licence and not a Class 3 licence.

MOT agrees with NTWU’s feedback. We are discussing with MHA to review the requirement, as this would provide greater clarity and certainty to potential bus captain applicants and encourage them to sign up.