■大埔車禍慘劇之後，九巴及龍運巴士改變前線員工的薪酬架構。 資料圖片【原文】農曆新年（ Chinese New Year）前發生大埔車禍慘劇之後，九巴及龍運巴士3月起改變前線員工的薪酬架構（salary package），將獎金撥入底薪，又改變超時補水（overtime pay）的計法。
巴士車長的待遇（welfare）在調整之後得到改善，對提高巴士的安全系數有正面作用，其他巴士公司應參考仿效。同時必須看到，慘劇暴露（exposed）巴士公司車長人數不足、安全駕駛培訓嚴重不足、安全監察疏漏（loopholes）等諸多問題，巴士公司必須配合（comply with）政府成立的獨立調查委員會，全面檢視巴士營運的各方面問題，找準病因、檢討過失、堵塞漏洞，讓香港市民坐上放心巴士。
九巴調整薪酬架構之後，新入職車長每月底薪加三成至超過1.5萬元，超時補水由每小時70.9元增加至96元，將原來的各項獎金撥入底薪計算，可以避免車長在駕駛過程中由於擔心犯錯而被扣獎金，對鼓勵士氣、提升車長的工作投入度有積極作用。
而且，加薪增加巴士車長職業的吸引力，有助改善正職車長不足、車長老齡化等問題。
巴士車長肩負乘客和其他道路使用者安全的重任，但薪酬落後社會平均水平，工時過長，改善其待遇，不能因為出了重大事故才重視，也不是一間巴士公司的事，本港所有巴士公司都應認真面對，認真檢討、調整相關措施，對乘客負責，也是對巴士公司自己負責。
然而，大埔公路的巴士慘劇，暴露出巴士公司的管理存在諸多漏洞，絕非稍稍改善車長薪酬待遇就能從根本上彌補。據目擊者反映（witness account），涉事車長懷疑開賭氣車，超速駕駛，反映巴士公司對車長的培訓不足，尤其是對車長的情緒管理不夠重視。
肇事車長被傳媒揭發駕駛記錄差劣（tainted record），犯過不小心駕駛罪，但仍獲九巴聘用，九巴有否機制審核應聘者的駕駛記錄？政府是否應監管巴士車長的任職資格（qualification process）？相關問題仍待解決。
九巴承認，涉事司機的職前培訓只是以「跟車培訓」方式進行，培訓過程只是坐在車上觀察其他車長行車，根本沒有親手駕駛過有關路線，就直接以車長身份開車，做法兒戲。凡此種種，需要巴士公司和監管部門給公眾一個清楚交代（full report ）。 （標題為編輯所加） （摘錄自香港文匯報社評 22-2-2018）
Improving the driver's welfare to build boost safe driving
【譯文】Soon after the deadly bus crash before the Chinese New Year, Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) and Long Wing Bus (LWB) announced changes to salary package, integrating prize money into the regular driver's basic salary, and to the way of calculating overtime pay.
Improving the driver's welfare will help build boost safe driving. Other bus companies may want to follow suit. We must see the other problems exposed in the incident: lack of hands and relevant trainings, loopholes in monitoring. KMB must comply with the independent commission to be officially established, thoroughly examines the reasons of the incident, and reassures the safety of the passengers.
Changes to the salary package include an increase in basic salary by 30 percent to over HKD15,000. Overtime pay will rise from HKD70.9 per hour to HKD96 per hour. Bonuses will become a part of the basic salary. It aims to spur morale and attentiveness, and prevent the driver from being overwhelmed by worries of making mistakes while working.
Upped wage will attract more would-be drivers, which lessens the lack in number and ageing problems.
The bus driver's prolonged working hours and the rather understated salary level should be approached with serious considerations over how and what to do to act responsibly, not only by one bus company but by all.
The incident has exposed various managment problems other than a below-average salary. Witness account reveals that the related driver had emotional bursts and exceeded the speed limit. This suggests the need of more training, espeically in the regard of emotional control.
The related part-time driver had also a tainted recorded, but was still hired. Has KMB strictly been monitoring the employees' driving records? Must the government regulate the qualification process?
KMB has admitted it did not allow the part-time driver to actually drive; he merely observed what other drivers did. This is outrageous, and the public is waiting for a full report from the relevant parties.■Jeffrey Tse [ywc_jeffrey@hotmail.com]
Exercise
1.Double-decker bus
2.Expressway
3.Death-toll
4.Manslaughter
5.Franchised buses
6.Dangerous driving
7.Careless driving
8.Drink driving / Driving under the influence of drink
9.Drug driving / Driving under the influence of drugs
10.Speeding
Answers
1.雙層巴士
2.高速公路
3.死亡人數
4.誤殺
5.專營巴士
6.危險駕駛
7.不小心駕駛
8.酒後駕駛
9.毒駕及藥駕
10.超速駕駛