The Singapore BusTech Grand Challenge aims to uplift professional recognition, raise technical skills and standards, recognise contributions of Singapore’s public bus technician workforce

Bus technicians play an integral role in ensuring that different components of public buses perform optimally so that commuters can enjoy safe and reliable journeys. The Singapore BusTech Grand Challenge, an inaugural event jointly organised by the Singapore Bus Academy (SGBA) and the NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), aims to raise technical standards across the public bus workforce.

The idea for a challenge was mooted by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) early in 2021, to promote a culture of technical excellence across the bus industry and to recognise the star bus technicians. The competition format was developed in partnership with The Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES) and the UK Institute of Road Transport Engineers (IRTE)

With strong support from our partners such as the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU), the event was launched by Senior Minister of State for Transport Mr Chee Hong Tat today.

Competing in teams of three, 24 bus technicians from four public bus operators – Go-Ahead Singapore, SBS Transit, SMRT Buses and Tower Transit Singapore, went head to head to compete in a series of 12 technical challenges across three main categories – mechanical, electrical and diagnostics. Each challenge is designed and sponsored by our station partners. The assessment criteria is unique to each challenge station, but will generally evaluate the technician’s analytical skills and competence in diagnosing the problem(s), using the appropriate tools (for example, correct adjustment and use of torque wrench), technical knowledge and strict compliance with safety requirements, among others.

The winners will be announced and presented with their awards by Minister for Transport Mr S Iswaran at the Public Transport Workers’ Appreciation (PTWA) anchor event on 23 November 2021.

As part of the series of activities under the Public Transport Workers’ Appreciation month of November, e2i and LTA have organised the Public Transport Career Fair in the same week, on 26 November at Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability. A total of more than 600 vacancies are available, with roles ranging from bus captain, bus technician assistant engineer to station manager. Employers are the four public transport operators: Go-Ahead Singapore, SBS Transit, SMRT and Tower Transit Singapore.