Written Reply by Minister for Transport S Iswaran to Parliamentary Question on Reviewing and Enhancing Measures to Mentally Support Bus Drivers Due to Enhanced Control Measures

Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman asked the Minister for Transport with regard to the rise in the number of COVID-19 clusters at bus interchanges

a.     whether LTA and other Government agencies have reviewed the mental health and support system in place for bus drivers and, if so, what are the findings; and

b.     whether LTA and other Government agencies are looking into enhancing measures to mentally support bus drivers working in segregated environments due to enhanced control measures.

Reply by Minister for Transport S Iswaran

1.     Following the recent COVID-19 infections at the bus interchanges, LTA and the Public Transport Operators (PTOs) have enhanced safe management measures to protect our public bus workers. We recognise that while these measures are necessary for public health and safety, they place additional strain on the physical and mental well-being of our workers.

2.     The well-being of our public transport workers is a key priority for the Government, PTOs and unions. The National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) and union leaders play an important role in helping to raise and address the concerns of public transport workers. Since the start of the pandemic last year, LTA and the PTOs have worked closely with NTWU in implementing the safe management measures.

3.     There are also on-going initiatives with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to provide customised workplace safety and health programmes, including health coaching and workshops on mental well-being. HPB also organises training for the management and supervisors of the PTOs to build a supportive workplace environment and promote mental well-being of our public transport workers. To date, over 4,000 public transport workers and management staff have benefitted from these programmes.

4.     In addition, PTO supervisors frequently engage the workers to listen to their concerns and take in their feedback. Workers who are stressed or troubled will be referred to medical professionals for psychological support and counselling. They may also call internal hotlines or access publicly available mental health resources such as Mindline.sg and other community-based hotlines for assistance.

5.     It has been a challenging time for our public transport workers, but they have shown resilience and kept our city moving. They deserve our continued appreciation and support as we strive towards a COVID-resilient nation. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and work closely with PTOs and NTWU to support our public transport workers.