School bus operators given extension to hire additional foreign drivers

Industry groups, operators say this is not a long-term solution to manpower shortage

- Lee Nian Tjoe

School bus operators have until November 2026 to apply to hire additional foreign workers to tackle the ongoing shortage of local drivers in the industry.

This is around a one-year extension of an existing measure by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to deal with the driver shortage. The scheme was originally set to expire at the end of 2025.

Launched in June 2023, the scheme allows bus operators who serve two or more primary schools to apply to hire additional foreign workers. These drivers would be given two-year work permits, MOE said.

The number of foreign workers a company can hire is limited by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). As at May, 42 school bus operators have been allowed to recruit more foreign drivers than under the standard provision.

This was meant to alleviate an acute shortage of drivers, which came to a head in 2023, when several bus companies stopped serving schools abruptly because they could not find drivers to replace those who had quit.

The scheme was initially set to expire at the end of 2025.

MOE informed the Singapore School and Private Hire Bus Owners' Association (SSPHBOA) which represents more than 600 private bus operators — about the one-year extension on June 3.

When asked about the scheme, MOE said it had worked with MOM to extend the additional foreign worker quota support for school bus operators for one more year because of the ongoing manpower shortage in the industry.