Lights, camera, bus fare! The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is spending $50,000 to produce a video which will be used to promote bus driving as a career.

This is believed to be the first such initiative by LTA as the authority ramps up Singapore's public bus fleet to raise service standards, as well as to meet burgeoning demand.

"LTA's role here is in professionalising the industry, not in the recruitment of bus drivers," an LTA spokesman said. "Recruitment is the responsibility of operators."

Under the new bus contracting model Singapore is moving towards, the Government owns all fixed and operating assets, while operators focus on meeting service standards - including hiring and retaining drivers.

LTA said the video - which will be screened at recruitment fairs that bus operators hold - will also be used to raise public awareness about the role of bus drivers.

The authority has contracted production house Little Red Ants to produce the video.

The production is part of a wider "branding and promotion" effort by LTA to "boost the image for both the rail and bus sectors" this year.

This effort will include joint career talks and fairs, and internships with public transport operators to attract potential talent.

On Tuesday between 7.45am and 8.20am, an SBS Transit bus was seen plying Upper Serangoon Road with a video camera strapped to its right, above the front wheel, with a spider mount. Another bus mounted with a similar camera plied Hougang, Sengkang and Punggol from 11.30am to 3pm. When The Straits Times turned up to photograph the filming, the crew said the camera had been dismounted because of "complaints from the public".

Little Red Ants did not wish to comment when contacted.

Christopher Tan