30 Companies Investigated As They Transported Workers in Cramped Lorries

Many companies have had to change the way they operate during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the Goody Feed office, for example, I used to work 23 hours a day, and my boss used to pay me for at least 15 of those hours.

Now, with the economy taking a beating, I’ve had to take a pay cut, and by pay cut I mean I’m now paying my boss so I can write articles for him.

Boss: At least you have a job, right?

But some would say that this is worse than being unemployed.

Boss: Do you want to get fired?

Oh no no, I’ll keep working.

Boss: Good employee

The point here is that companies in Singapore have had to adapt to the shrinking economy and new safety measures put in place, and some have done it better than others.

30 Companies Investigated As They Transported Workers in Cramped Lorries

Nearly 30 companies in essential services are being investigated for allegedly not complying with safe distancing measures and transporting workers in cramped lorries.

On Monday, stricter safe distancing measures were introduced, requiring employers and lorry owners to ensure that workers can maintain a safe distance of 1m from each other while seated.

This means that many of them would have to review the maximum seating capacity in their vehicles.

28 vehicles have been stopped and checked since the new measure kicked in. The nationwide checks were conducted by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Traffic Police.

Used Measuring Tape

And authorities took the 1m spacing pretty seriously.

According to The New Paper, MOM officers actually used measuring tape to confirm if the vehicles were in violation of the 1m rule.

And the sad thing is that those who were guilty of violating the safe distancing rules were required to adjust their seating capacity on the spot, which meant some of the workers on board had to get off.

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The employer then had to arrange for another vehicle to pick up the workers at the holding area.

Hefty Fine

You probably think that these companies will get a $300 or $1000 fine for violating these rules right?

Nope. If any employer is found breaching the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020, they face a fine of up to $10,000 or a jail term of up to six months, or both.

The penalties are doubled for repeat offenders.

It must not be easy for companies to change the way they operate so quickly, but in a crisis, drastic measures need to be taken.

Why else would I be paying my boss so I can write articles for him?

Boss: Oh I want a raise, by the way

Is GrabFood still hiring?