In a bid to promote kindness between bus drivers and commuters, transport operator SBS Transit has launched the SBS Transit CARES kindness month.

It began on May 3 and ends on May 31, and will see 1,200 pupils and students showing their appreciation to about 6,000 bus drivers as well as station staff.

The campaign kicked off officially yesterday at Tampines bus interchange with 120 pupils from Tampines Primary School.

The Primary 3 and 4 pupils gave out handmade thank-you cards to bus drivers.

"I'm really happy with what was done today. It lets people know that we are doing our best to serve them," said Mr Tang Chi Cheng, 64, a senior bus driver who has been driving for nearly 40 years.

Another driver, Mr Manoharan Sathiyan, 31, said this was the first time he had received such cards in his six years of driving.

Besides the cards, students and SBS Transit's management gave away pens imprinted with a kindness message to commuters at interchanges and MRT stations.

SBS Transit chief executive Gan Juay Kiat was also at Tampines interchange to hand out packets of food to bus drivers.

Close to 11,000 meal boxes, which included brown rice, fruit juice and apples, were given out to SBS Transit staff.

"It's a tough job to drive a bus, and we want to make sure that our staff are recognised by thanking them," Mr Gan said.