Mandatory retirement for older professional drivers: an exploration of experiences for older Singaporean taxi drivers

Abstract

Singapore has an age-based mandatory retirement policy for taxi drivers. In 2006, the upper age limit of mandatory retirement was raised from 70 to 73 years for healthy, older taxi drivers. Retirement from taxi driving in Singapore often results in simultaneous retirement from work and forced driving cessation due to limited private vehicle ownership. While both retirement from work and driving cessation have been found to have negative implications for health and wellbeing in Western countries, little is known about the effects of mandatory retirement and driving cessation for healthy professional drivers in an Asian context. This study aimed to explore the mandatory retirement experience of older Singaporean taxi drivers, aged 70–73 years. In-depth interviews were conducted within a descriptive phenomenological approach with 23 older Singaporean taxi drivers who were retired or retiring drivers. Findings showed the experience to be dominated by retirement from work issues rather than by driving cessation. Three themes described the experiences: ‘stories of taxi driving’, ‘feeling lost in retirement’ and ‘contradictions of growing old in Singapore’. Taxi driving was a valued role. Despite an expected retirement, most participants were not prepared for the retirement transition. They struggled with emotional adjustment, financial vulnerability, identity, reduction in life-space and meaningful activity participation. Participants felt under-valued despite having personal achievements and support from family and ‘successful ageing’ policies. Work remained a preferred activity despite limited re-employment opportunities. The unique context of expected but forced retirement, financial need in a non-welfare system, high cultural value on work, and limited options for productive or meaningful activities and roles, predisposed this sub-group of older Singaporean men to be vulnerable retirees in terms of identity and wellbeing issues. Support for a stressful late-life transition is indicated for continued health and wellbeing.

The Importance of Exercise and General Mental Health on Prediction of Property-Damage-Only Accidents among Taxi Drivers in Tehran: A Study Using ANFIS-PSO and Regression Models

“…After the calibration of many models, the results showed that such variables as age, education level, history of the current or previous disease, smoking, and physical disabilities were not significant in the prediction of PDO traffic accidents among taxi drivers of Tehran. However, this finding is contrary to the results of a number of previous studies [15,31]. This result might be due to the fact that taxi drivers spend much of their time in traffic and at the wheel; accordingly, they are expert in this field.…”

“…The results of multiple regression and Poisson regression demonstrated that, with increasing minutes of daily exercise and decreasing the mental health problems, the number of PDO decreases among taxi drivers. This finding is in line with those of previous studies indicating that driving performance is affected by health related changes [31]. In addition, physical activity was shown to be a protective factor for hypertension among taxi drivers in Brazil, when considering the deleterious effect of time as a taxi driver [12].…”

An intervention to support professional driver retirement transition: Results of a pilot study for older taxi drivers in Singapore

“…From 2009 to 2011 an exploratory mixed method research programme was undertaken with UQDRIVE researchers to understand the range of retirement experience of older Singaporean taxi drivers, aged 70 to 73 years, in order to develop a relevant intervention (Chan, 2012). Retirement was found to be dominated by issues related to the loss of the valued worker role and a negative perception of ageing, with little focus on expected driving cessation issues such as missing driving itself or struggling with transportation.…”

“…Compared with current drivers, retired drivers significantly spent less time away from home, had reduced use of transportation, lower health-related quality of life while spending more time in solitary leisure and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL). While mandatory retirement was expected, most participants appeared poorly prepared for it (Chan, 2012).…”

The policies, practices and predicaments of senior employment in Hong Kong and Singapore

“…A Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (2005) survey in Singapore found that the main reason why seniors sought post-retirement employment was to have the means to meet current expenses (62%). In contrast, ‘lifestyle choices’ of the type popularly stressed in Singapore's active ageing literature (Chan, Gustafsson and Liddle 2014; K. W. Wong 2013) were much less highly regarded. For example, only 14.1 per cent of respondents stated that they wanted ‘to lead an active life’ and half again as needing ‘something to occupy my time’ (Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports 2005).…”