How a $10k carrot helped firm draw younger S'porean bus drivers

Private bus operator Westpoint revises its pay structure to land even new graduates

Relatives, and even his own mother, did not like the idea of Mr Aeneas Liow working as a bus driver.

They thought it was a "tough, dangerous and tiring job" that was "unfit" for a young university graduate like him, Mr Liow, 27, told The Sunday Times.

"But which job is not tough?" he countered. Furthermore, he has been fascinated by transportation since he was in primary school.

Despite not having the backing of his family members, Mr Liow, who graduated from the Singapore Institute of Technology in 2023 with a degree in air transport management, decided to follow his heart anyway.

He drove buses for public transport operator SMRT in 2019 and 2020 before pursuing his degree, during which he also steered shuttle buses for Comfort Delgro. On Jan 18, he successfully applied for a driving job with private firm West-point Transit.

In December 2023, Westpoint announced a revised pay structure where the starting monthly salary for driving a medium-sized bus is $3,500, while that for a driver of a 45-seater charter bus is $5,000.

This is above the starting salaries offered by private bus companies that range from $1,800 to $4,500, according to listings on recruitment websites.

Westpoint's attractive figures are sweetened further by a joining bonus of $7,500 for those driving a medium-sized bus and $10,000 for those driving a 45-seater.

The only catch to the company's bonus offer is that hired drivers must serve a three-year bond and will receive the quantum in batches, up till their sixth month. If they decide to leave before the full bond is served, they must pay back a pro-rated portion of the bonus.

Westpoint director Lionel Lee told ST that Mr Liow - who will be driving a medium-sized bus - is one of seven candidates that the company has offered a job to.