Coronavirus: Singapore
End to capacity curb on vehicles ferrying workers
25% reduction in capacity lifted in line with start of phase 3; other safe measures to remain in place
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A capacity curb on vehicles ferrying workers has been lifted.
The move to do away with the 25 per cent reduction in carrying capacity is in line with the start of phase three of Singapore's reopening, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) yesterday.
They had in late May announced the reduction in maximum passenger capacity as the country geared up to resume business after the circuit breaker, which ended on June 1.
Other safe management measures will remain in place. MOM said workers should continue to wear a mask at all times in the vehicle and that they should not talk or interact while on board.
Employers must also continue to arrange private transport for workers staying in dormitories to commute to and from their workplaces. These vehicles must not be carrying any other passengers.
"These measures are necessary to prevent cross-infections between migrant workers living in dormitories and the community, in both directions," said MOM.
"If necessary, employers should make provisions for additional trips or vehicles," it added.
The curb has had an impact on employers both financially and operationally over the past few months.
Said Mr Kenneth Loo, chief operating officer of Straits Construction: "If you decrease the capacity of each vehicle by 25 per cent, then the number of vehicles you require for transport must increase by at least 25 per cent as well, leading to higher financial costs as well as making operations more difficult as workers have to be transported separately."
While he welcomed the lifting of the curb, he said of phase three: "We cannot let our guard down and we need to be wary."
In April, 28 employers were each hit with a $1,000 fine for failing to ensure compliance with safe distancing measures when ferrying workers on their lorries.
In May, a video of a lorry with partitions installed to ensure safe distancing went viral online. The clip was part of a demonstration video sent as part of a proposal to MOM for consultation. MOM and LTA subsequently said the set-up was unsafe and advised against its use.
