Singapore to ban caged lorries for transporting workers from 2027
The ban comes after years of debate over the safety of transporting workers on lorries.
by Justin Ong Guang-Xi · CNA · JoinRead a summary of this article on FAST.
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SINGAPORE: Singapore will ban the use of caged lorries to transport workers from next year, Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling said on Wednesday (Mar 4).
Ms Sun made the announcement during the debate on her ministry's budget in parliament, citing safety risks.
"For example, if a lorry with a cage door that is latched or locked from the outside is involved in an accident or a fire, workers may not be able to escape," she said.
Around 500 to 1,000 out of 50,000 lorries in Singapore have caged decks. Such lorries may still be used to transport goods.
The Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a press release that companies that fail to comply will face penalties, with details to be announced ahead of the 2027 deadline.
In the interim, firms must ensure workers have safe access to and from lorry decks, the agencies said. Companies wishing to continue using caged lorries to ferry workers can convert the rear deck to incorporate a canopy and side railings.
“The government will continue to engage and work closely with industry and non-governmental organisations to strengthen safety measures for worker transport,” MOT and LTA said.
The Migrant Workers' Centre (MWC), which is affiliated with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), welcomed the announcement, calling it an "important step".
"The new prohibition on using caged lorries to transport both workers and equipment concurrently is an important step that directly addresses long-standing safety concerns for migrant workers on our roads," MWC said in a Facebook post.
MWC noted that it has consistently advocated for safer transport arrangements for migrant workers, particularly when lorries are used.
"Safety must always come first. Every worker deserves to travel safely to and from work," MWC added.
LONG-RUNNING DEBATE
The safety of transporting workers on lorries has been a long-running debate in Singapore.
Last year, migrant worker rights group Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) urged the government to ban the practice. Off the back of that report, then-Nominated MP Ong Hua Han asked in parliament whether the government would consider HOME's recommendation to provide transport subsidies so firms could charter buses for workers instead.
Then-Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said in a written reply that banning lorry transport was not operationally feasible, and that doing so would seriously impact many small- and medium-size enterprises – potentially causing job losses, project delays and higher costs for consumers.
In a separate written reply, Mr Chee noted that over the past 10 years, an average of one worker fatality per year had been recorded involving lorry transport. He added that the average number of workers injured while being transported on lorries fell by more than 25 per cent — from 215 cases between 2015 and 2019, to 161 between 2020 and 2024.
In January this year, a collision between a car and a lorry along Orchard Road sent 13 people to hospital, including 12 lorry passengers.
In December, a 33-year-old man was jailed for 27 months after driving at speeds of up to double the speed limit and crashing into a lorry carrying migrant workers in 2023. Nine workers from India were seriously injured, four of whom required surgery.
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