China bus drivers in Singapore

I refer to the article “China bus drivers hired as few S’poreans keen on job” published in The Straits Times dated 11 March 2008 and page number H6.

This article informs us that fewer Singaporeans are keen in becoming a bus driver even though SMRT and SBS have increased the basic pay of drivers from $936 to $1,200. Their job title has been renamed from bus driver to bus captains to improve their self-esteem. However, it did not make a difference.

Schemas (concepts) are mental representations of objects or categories of objects. We can infer from this article that Singaporeans are probably carrying a schema that driving a bus is a less reputable job; drivers are uneducated as it is a blue-collared job or driving a bus is not prestigious as compared to driving a taxi.

Stereotype is one kind of schema. A stereotype is a set of characteristics that someone associates with members of a group. Singaporeans could be afraid to be seen as a bus captain because society might stereotype them as an uneducated even though the driver could be an educated one. A bus captain earns between $1,600 and $3,500 a month. They are paid more than some who occupy office jobs but people are not going to compromise their self-esteem for a better pay. Educated Singaporeans who find bus driving a good job offer may have settled down with a more reputable job but with lesser pay than a bus captain. Though the job title has been renamed from bus driver to bus captain it probably did not make a difference to Singaporeans because the job scope remains the same. Due to this social stigma, Singaporeans may still feel that driving a taxi is more attractive than a bus.