Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Quantifying Economic Impact of Disallowing Workers from being Ferried on the Back of Lorries

Ms He Ting Ru asked the Acting Minister for Transport

a.     whether studies have been done to examine and quantify the economic impact of banning workers being ferried on the back of lorries; and   

b.     if so, whether details of these studies can be shared.

Reply by Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow:

1.     Improving the safety of all road users is a priority for Ministry of Transport, and this requires the collective effort by all stakeholders. Over the years, government agencies have rolled out several measures, together with our tripartite partners and the non-governmental organisations. These include requirements for lorries to be fitted with canopies and higher protective side railings, have lower speed limits and minimum space requirements.

2.     We also studied the economic impact should we disallow workers from being ferried on the back of lorries, but found it difficult to quantify the economic impact – the impact is not only direct, but also indirect. In some cases, we would not even be able to quantify the impact. To illustrate the challenge, in order to shift foreign workers entirely to buses, we need many more bus drivers. But we already face an acute shortage of drivers. Even for public buses, despite multiple wage increases over the years, we continue to face challenges hiring and retaining our bus drivers. Nonetheless, we have been working together with our tripartite partners, including the industry associations, for feedback and suggestions.

3.     The crux of the matter is to improve the safety of transportation for our workers. We will continue to work closely with the industry and other government agencies to study the issue and will update on improvements in due time.