Operator wants to bring innovative practices here
United Kingdom-based firm The Go-Ahead Group has been awarded the Loyang bus package. Photo: The Go-Ahead Group
SINGAPORE — Fresh from winning the bid for the Loyang bus package, UK-based Go-Ahead Group plans to recruit 900 employees next year, and has set its sights on wooing those not already in the bus industry, such as those working in the retail sector.
“We’re keen to make sure that bus captains in Singapore (are seen) as a worthwhile career ... On top of that, it’s about finding people who don’t normally think of working as a bus captain,” said Go-Ahead’s group chief executive officer David Brown at a press conference today.
Pointing out how the retail sector abides by principles such as good customer service, he hopes such values can be extended into the bus sector as well. He added: “It’s about offering the right package — in terms of how you recruit, providing shift patterns for people, being flexible … and how you retain these people and make the full value ... We’re looking into that.” The company hopes to hire a strong local workforce, but will supplement with foreigners if need be, added a spokesman for Go-Ahead.
To keep buses on schedule, the firm uses systems such as Ibus, an automated vehicle location system that allows supervisors to plot the progress of buses on computers. Bus captains who realise that they are catching up with the bus in front or too close to the bus behind can seek their supervisors’ advice on how to maintain the right distance between buses, explained Mr Martin Dean, managing director of bus development.
The Land Transport Authority said commuters on the Loyang routes can expect shorter waiting times of no more than 15 minutes during morning and evening peak periods, while feeder services will run at intervals of six to eight minutes.
Other innovative practices from London the company wants to bring include equipping technicians with iPads to improve productivity in maintenance operations. They can key in information on the spot, instead of having to write it down. The iPads would be installed with videos that provide ready access to information, so technicians know where to locate and install spare parts. “It’s about making it more productive and empowering technicians to solve the problem,” said Mr Brown.
One of the UK’s largest bus operators, the firm runs 24 per cent of the city’s bus routes, with a fleet of about 2,300 buses under a similar bus contracting model. Its bus company Metrobus’ Crawley bus depot won UK Bus Depot of the Year three years in a row. Currently, Go-Ahead’s London operations are subject to key performance indicators determined by Transport for London, including excess wait time for commuters, driver quality monitoring, engineering quality and passenger injuries.
To better understand the Singapore market, the team said it conducted extensive market research, noting that the Loyang area is home to many young families and new homeowners moving in. The new Loyang Bus Depot will be handed over to Go-Ahead next month and the firm will start operating the routes in the third quarter of next year. The firm must first offers jobs to bus drivers from the incumbent operators affected by the change.
In a statement today, the National Transport Workers’ Union said: “In view of the tight timeline, NTWU would like to have close discussions with Go-Ahead soonest on matters concerning the affected workers.”
