Government urges employers, industry bodies to work out alternative transport for workers

THE Singapore government is encouraging companies and industry associations to work towards other transport arrangements for their workers, but did not remove an exception for lorries under the Road Traffic Act.

In a statement on Wednesday (Aug 2), various government bodies said they recognised that ferrying workers on lorries is not ideal, but they also understood concerns from employers.

The joint response was issued by the Ministry of Transport, the Land Transport Authority, the Ministry of Manpower, the Ministry of National Development, the Building and Construction Authority, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, as well as Enterprise Singapore.

It came after two recent petitions regarding the transport of workers on lorries, and a joint statement by more than 20 industry associations.

The authorities said that banning transporting workers on lorries will pose operational challenges to businesses, due to their financial constraints and a shortage of bus drivers in Singapore.

“If the companies are unable to operate their business, there will be knock-on effects on society, including delays affecting new housing projects, polyclinics and MRT lines.”

The challenges faced by businesses will thus translate into higher costs for all Singaporeans, added the authorities.

While the government understands the constraints faced by companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises recovering from pandemic woes, the authorities said the government also aims to enhance the safety of every worker.

They emphasised that the exception under the Road Traffic Act that allows employers to use lorries to ferry workers, and the safety regulations, apply to all workers regardless of nationality.

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Further measures will be implemented to improve workers’ safety, the statement added.

Employers will be working with government agencies to specify a minimum rest time for dual-role lorry drivers, as well as to arrange for a vehicle buddy for all drivers. The Ministry of Manpower will be conducting spot checks to ensure compliance.

Employers will also be installing speed limiters on all lorries. More details on this measure will be announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs later this year.

It was also noted that motorcycle incidents account for about half of injuries each year, the highest among all vehicle types. Lorry incidents make up around 4 per cent of the total injuries from road traffic accidents annually on average.

“Our efforts will remain evidence-based and focus on improving safety for all road users,” said the authorities.

“We will also continue to roll out measures that address a multitude of factors behind accidents, such as driving behaviours and vehicle speed.”