Transport is the only NS vocation that lets you walk away with a civilian driving licence. You get paid to learn to drive military and heavy vehicles, and convert that to a civilian licence (CDL) by the time you ORD.
This page covers what licence you get, the requirements, and how to collect it. For the vocation and the driving course itself, see the transport vocation page.
Official links
- Transport vocation - CMPB
- Military to civilian licence conversion - MINDEF
- Apply for a Qualified Driving Licence - SPF
What licence you get
You train on a military driving licence, then convert it to a civilian driving licence (CDL).
From MINDEF's Jan 2018 figures:
- About 95% of NSF transport operators qualify for Class 3 (cars and light vehicles)
- About 7 in 10 also qualify for Class 4 (heavier vehicles like 3-tonners and 5-tonners)
So most transport operators ORD with a Class 3, and many with Class 4 on top.
The requirements
To convert your military licence to a CDL:
- Clock 4,000 km of driving. This was cut from 7,000 km in April 2016.
- Meet the safety standards and keep a clean record. A poor disciplinary or accident record can cost you the licence.
Since April 2016, SAF testing uses the Traffic Police curriculum: basic theory, final theory, and a practical test. The course and test details are on the transport page.
Military licence vs civilian licence
They're not the same thing.
A military driving document only lets you drive SAF vehicles, owned or leased by the SAF. It is not a civilian licence, so you can't use it to drive a private car on the road until it's converted to a CDL.
Collecting your CDL
The eligibility rule is official (4,000 km + safety + clean record), but the collection process is run by your unit, so it varies.
Rough flow from NSF accounts:
- Your unit (S1 / mileage clerk) submits the application near ORD, once your mileage and record check out
- Kaki Bukit contacts you to register
- You go to a driving centre (eg SSDC) to pay the $50 fee, take a photo, and collect a temporary licence
Tips:
- If you only hit 4,000 km close to ORD, collection can slip by weeks. Clock your mileage early.
- Chase your transport office / S1 / mileage clerk so the application goes in on time.