Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Weekly Hour Limit for Full-Time Taxi Drivers

Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider (i) reviewing the current limit of 12 hours of work a day and (ii) having a weekly work hour limit, for full-time salaried taxi drivers.

Reply by Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat:

1.     As point-to-point drivers are self-employed individuals, each driver will decide on his or her own working hours.

2.     The tripartite Workplace Safety and Health Council has a set of guidelines which encourage drivers, including taxi and private hire car drivers, to limit their shifts to no more than 12 hours.

3.     There is a small group of full-time salaried taxi drivers under ComfortDelGro’s employee-driver scheme. As these drivers are covered under the Employment Act, their contractual hours of work are up to an average of 44 hours a week over any continuous three weeks, subject to a daily limit of 12 hours and excluding overtime hours.