New Roles Introduced to Help Senior Bus Captains Stay in Workforce Longer

Why It Matters

The program helps mitigate looming labor shortages by retaining experienced drivers, while offering seniors meaningful work and social engagement in a rapidly aging economy.

Key Takeaways

• Tower Transit creates senior-friendly bus captain roles to extend careers.
• Pilot includes 15 captains over 60 transitioning to mentorship positions.
• New roles emphasize lower physical demand, digital upskilling, flexible duties.
• Alliance of 30 groups develops age‑friendly jobs across Singapore’s transport sector.
• Initiative aims to retain expertise as Singapore approaches super‑aged society.

Summary

Tower Transit, a Singapore bus operator, has rolled out a suite of new job roles designed to keep senior bus captains in the workforce longer. The scheme lets older drivers shift from front‑line driving to less physically demanding positions while still leveraging their decades of route knowledge.

The year‑long pilot involves 15 captains aged 60 and above, including 75‑year‑old Alex Poon, who will move into a “buddy” mentorship role after retiring from the wheel in May. The program pairs job redesign with cross‑training in operations and digital skills, offers reduced or flexible driving duties, and is backed by a work group of about 30 organisations focused on senior employment.

Poon said, “When I was a newcomer, the old‑timer taught me; now I can pass that on.” Senior Minister of State for Manpower Koh Poh Koon echoed the sentiment, stressing that retaining willing seniors supports both the economy and workers’ social well‑being.

If successful, the initiative could become a template for other firms as Singapore heads toward a super‑aged society, preserving institutional knowledge, boosting productivity, and expanding employment options for older workers.

Original Description

Transport operator Tower Transit is introducing new job roles to help senior bus captains

stay in the workforce longer. Older captains can transition into less physically demanding roles while contributing their expertise. An alliance formed under a workgroup on senior employment is partnering about 30 organisations to develop age-friendly jobs. Such initiatives are expected to pave the way for more firms to follow suit as Singapore becomes a super-aged society. Charlotte Lim reports.