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Leaders from the affiliated associations of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) – the National Taxi Association (NTA) and National Private Hire Vehicles Association – visited Point-to-Point (P2P) drivers and airport staff at Changi Airport Terminal 3 to thank them for providing essential services during the festive period. Advisor to NTA and NPHVA Ms Yeo Wan Ling was joined by Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health; Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Transport as well as Sustainability and the Environment, and management representatives from Changi Airport Group (CAG) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).
Specially canvassed gift bags, which include more than 1,000 new water tumblers collected by the Singapore Co-operative Movement (SCM) in partnership with NTA and NPHVA, through a sustainability donation drive, were presented to workers in the spirit of the festive season. This initiative encourages taxi drivers and private hire drivers to stay hydrated while on the job.
Committed and Dedicated P2P Driving Community
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our P2P drivers have adhered to Safe Management Measures and getting vaccinations so that they can continue to serve the community while keeping commuters safe. As frontliners providing an essential service to the nation, P2P drivers have been among the first groups of workers to practice daily temperature screening, sanitising common touch points in vehicles, winding down windows between rides for air circulation, adopting contact tracing measures and getting vaccinated. With 99 per cent of taxi and private hire vehicle drivers fully vaccinated and many having taken their booster shots to keep their vaccination status up to date, the P2P driving community has one of the highest vaccination rates among worker groups.
In addition to keeping the community safe, NTA and NPHVA drive the importance of the health and wellness of our P2P drivers. NTA and NPHVA have been working closely with NTUC Freelancers and Self-Employed Unit, and the Health Promotion Board to hold health workshops on ergonomics and self-care, and organise health screening and health coaching sessions for our drivers, encouraging them to take charge of their health by adopting healthier habits such as having balanced meals, carving out time for exercise, taking regular breaks to rest in their course of work, and participating in the regular health screenings conducted for them.
Stand Ready to Serve the Community and Visitors
With life in Singapore gradually returning to normal after the pandemic and international visitor arrivals to Singapore expected to hit 12 million to 14 million this year, the demand for P2P transport services will likely increase. Since the reopening of Singapore’s borders, our P2P drivers have been making trips to and from the airport to serve visitors. They stand ready to serve the anticipated increase in both visitor arrivals and the community and will continue to observe good hygiene practices to provide safe rides for commuters, with many continuing to don face masks and airing their vehicles whenever possible.
Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Advisor to NTA and NPHVA, said, “It has been a tough two over years for our P2P driving community – braving the dry ridership spells that the pandemic brought and marching on despite low or zero earnings at stretches of time in the darkest moments. Our taxi and private hire vehicle drivers have been putting in longer working hours to cater to the transportation needs of the community and more recently, the increase in international visitors. Today, we thank them for their tenacity and resilience, and for sacrificing their family time to ferry us from point to point during this festive period. As we adjust to a new normal, NTA and NPHVA will continue to ensure that our drivers’ interests are taken care, and they receive the support they need. We encourage all taxi drivers and private hire vehicle drivers to sign up as members with our associations if they have not done so, so that they can be part of our bigger voice for P2P drivers.”
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