Some 120 taxi drivers from HDT Taxi will soon benefit from a more structured form of training after their employer agreed to form a company training committee (CTC) with the National Taxi Association (NTA). The agreement was signed on 18 November 2019.
HDT Taxi is the only taxi company in Singapore that offers full employment to taxi drivers with a basic salary, CPF contributions and leave benefits. Taxi drivers with other companies are predominantly self-employed.
As part of the CTC, NTA leaders will work with HDT Taxi to identify relevant training programmes that will help the drivers achieve better wages, welfare and work prospects in the long run.
Before the signing of the CTC, taxi drivers in HDT had already completed some 80 hours of training, comprising courses such as SkillsFuture For Digital Workplace and courses on handling passengers with disabilities and children.
HDT had also worked with NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) to subsidise course fees.
NTA Advisor Ang Hin Kee said: “We affirm HDT Taxi’s commitment to the training of all their taxi drivers and we are glad that we can take it further through the formation of the CTC. Together we will be able to equip our taxi drivers with useful and practical skills, to help them make a better living.”
HDT Taxi Managing Director James Ng said the company’s aim was always to ensure that its drivers are equipped with necessary industry knowledge and skills.
“With the CTC, we can now better achieve these, and I hope our staff drivers will find it to be a fulfilling life serving in the taxi industry. We will continue to support them in purposeful ways so that they can grow successfully in their careers,” said Mr Ng.
