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Jul 6, 2010
Ferrying workers by lorry: Cost not a reason
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IN HIS letter last Friday ('Banning lorries for transport is wrong'), Mr Tan Lek Lek implied that foreign workers should not be treated differently from national servicemen who are transported in lorries.
He suggested that the lorries used to transport national servicemen were similar to the ones ferrying foreign workers to and from their workplaces.
This is not true.
National servicemen are transported in trucks with canopies as well as seatbelts.
Foreign workers are transported in lorries without seat belts and often without canopies too.
Despite the new policies from the Land Transport Authority, there is a lack of enforcement on the roads to deter errant drivers from using open-top trucks to ferry workers around.
Second, Mr Tan suggests that high costs will not entice companies to hire buses.
One strategy to consider is to collectively seek lower costs from bus companies.
More construction companies coming together to hire the services of bus companies gives them collective bargaining power, which could result in cheaper costs.
Third, Mr Tan assumed that bus drivers will remain idle for a long stretch until the time comes to pick up workers from work.
There is no basis for the argument as bus drivers have other people to pick up, such as students or employees working in industrial areas.
Sha Najak (Miss)
Communications Manager
Transient Workers Count Too
Ferrying workers by lorry: Cost not a reason
<!-- by line --><!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
IN HIS letter last Friday ('Banning lorries for transport is wrong'), Mr Tan Lek Lek implied that foreign workers should not be treated differently from national servicemen who are transported in lorries.
He suggested that the lorries used to transport national servicemen were similar to the ones ferrying foreign workers to and from their workplaces.
This is not true.
National servicemen are transported in trucks with canopies as well as seatbelts.
Foreign workers are transported in lorries without seat belts and often without canopies too.
Despite the new policies from the Land Transport Authority, there is a lack of enforcement on the roads to deter errant drivers from using open-top trucks to ferry workers around.
Second, Mr Tan suggests that high costs will not entice companies to hire buses.
One strategy to consider is to collectively seek lower costs from bus companies.
More construction companies coming together to hire the services of bus companies gives them collective bargaining power, which could result in cheaper costs.
Third, Mr Tan assumed that bus drivers will remain idle for a long stretch until the time comes to pick up workers from work.
There is no basis for the argument as bus drivers have other people to pick up, such as students or employees working in industrial areas.
Sha Najak (Miss)
Communications Manager
Transient Workers Count Too
