Transport Ministry working on new scheme to train young bus drivers

PUTRAJAYA: To meet the shortage of bus drivers, the Transport Ministry is working on a new scheme to train young bus drivers keen on obtaining a bus licence.

Its minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the scheme would be drawn, together with the human resources and tourism and culture ministries, under the National Logistics Task Force.

“Based on the task force, the transport ministry has trained 1,000 lorry drivers under the Human Resources Development Fund. Now, we are looking into training bus drivers under the same fund,” he told reporters here yesterday.

Liow was commenting on a call by the Pan- Malaysian Bus Operators Association ( PMBOA) that the transport ministry and the Land Public Transport Commission provide free courses for bus drivers.

PMBOA had said there was a yearly shortage of 3,000 drivers in the tranport industry.

On Tuesday, Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Nancy Shukri pointed out that younger drivers might be interested to become bus drivers but they could not afford to obtain a licence because it was very expensive.

The cost for obtaining the bus licence was about RM2,000.

On the rise of foreigners illegally operating heavy vehicles in Selangor, Liow, who viewed the matter seriously said the ministry would not hesitate to take stern action, including revoking the Public Service Vehicle ( PSV) licence.

“We want the public to report to us, and the Road Transport Department will move in quickly to nab the foreign drivers.

“We do not tolerate at all, for those PSV licence holders to abuse it and we will not hestitate slap the highest penalty on these people,” he added. — Bernama