Upskilling taxi and private-hire drivers for self-driving vehicles

It is aimed at making sure there are still good opportunities for drivers in the future, including new roles that will be created with the emergence of autonomous vehicles (AV).

The programmes will kick off from the third quarter of 2026, and the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) will provide more details soon.

For instance, those keen on becoming AV specialists will be equipped with technical and operational skills required for roles in the self-driving vehicle sector, such as safety operators, remote operators and fleet management jobs.

In the public transport sector, drivers can take part in a new programme for public transport professionals, which will guide them to become bus drivers.

Those who sign up for training will be offered employment before the programme starts, while receiving upskilling on the job.

During the reskilling period, employers can receive up to 90 per cent salary support, the Ministry of Transport (MOT), Ministry of Manpower, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), ride-hailing operator Grab and taxi firm ComfortDelGro (CDG) said in a joint statement.

Driverless shuttle trials by CDG and Grab were launched in the first half of 2026 in Punggol.

And from end-2026, self-driving public buses will be tested on routes in Marina Bay and Shenton Way, as well as one-north in Buona Vista.

There are opportunity costs in stepping away from driving to attend training, but the transition package is designed to offer drivers “practical, accessible support” that meets them where they are, the statement added.

Second, a new training incentive scheme – featuring short-form courses – will allow drivers to get an early taste of reskilling before they decide to commit to longer-term programmes.

Set up by MOT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA), this scheme will be tested from January 2027 and run for three years.

Eligible drivers can choose from about 2,000 SWDA-supported courses, and get a training incentive of $20 an hour, capped at 80 hours, for a three-year period.

Every driver attending a course can get up to $1,600 in training incentives, offsetting some vehicle rental fees and lost income during the time taken to undergo training.

Sun said the amount is much higher than other training allowances now in place because drivers have more expenses.

Third, the Government and NTUC will improve outreach and career guidance efforts for drivers.

This will come in the form of a new one-stop resource page on the SWDA website for drivers to easily access curated information and resources.

Sun said AVs are a part of Singapore’s future in complementing and beefing up the nation’s transport network. The introduction of self-driving vehicles will be a gradual process to give commuters and drivers time to adapt, she added.

Yeo Wan Ling (Punggol GRC), who is also NTUC assistant secretary-general, said the union recognises that drivers forgo income and take on costs like rental when they go for training, so this support helps them commit to training.

“What matters is that this leads to reasonable and fair jobs, and that AVs open up not just new roles but new business models and livelihoods for our drivers,” added Yeo, who is also adviser to the National Private Hire Vehicles Association and the National Taxi Association.