Singapore Jobs Related News: Hundreds turn up at job carnival to become cabbies

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Hundreds turn up at job carnival to become cabbies
By Yvonne Cheong, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : A job carnival at Yio Chu Kang Community Club held on Sunday had only one career option on offer but a large crowd turned out - drawn by the incentives.

The carnival was supposed to start at 10am but a queue of over 40 people had already formed an hour earlier.

They all wanted to be the first 50 to sign up so they can qualify for an additional S$1,000 bonus after completing one year of service.

And as what? They were queuing up to be taxi drivers.

Response was so overwhelming that TIBS decided to let all 200 who signed up by 5pm to join the company - to qualify for the extra S$1,000 bonus.

TIBS went all out to woo drivers to be part of its new fleet of 1,000 taxis which will hit the roads later this year.

"We are reaching out to the heartlanders so instead of them coming to our office, we have changed the way we do things," said Long Tien Ho, TIBS Taxis Pte Ltd.

Hence the song and dance as well.

And those at the fair seem to think that taxi driving is a career option in fair and foul weather.

Said one woman: "Actually I'm an interior designer. To be a taxi driver, I would say, it's more time flexible, so I was thinking of taking the job part-time."

Another man said: "I have been jobless since I got retrenched since last year. With my driving experience... I chose to took up this course as a taxi driver."

"Taxi drivers now are better educated...so being a taxi driver may be a good consideration knowing that you'd probably be future tourist guides," another man said.

It has also helped that the industry has had some image improvement.

Said Seng Han Thong, Member of Parliament, Ang Mo Kio GRC: "I sense that there's improvement in the image of taxi drivers. They are well disciplined, they are well behaved and they are knowledgeable.

TIBS has planned for another 7 such recruitment drives. - CNA