PUBLISHED ONJune 08, 2026 9:39 AMBYLim KeweiHe drives a public bus, but 22-year-old Jayrius is certainly "not your typical bus uncle".
For one, the Singaporean bus captain at SMRT is the youngest driver on the company's books, reported Lianhe Zaobao.
Jayrius also has end-stage kidney disease — a diagnosis which came on his 21st birthday.
"It was a very difficult time," he told the Chinese paper. "I couldn't accept it and wondered if it was a misdiagnosis."
Despite this, the transport enthusiast said he still wanted to pursue his dream of becoming a bus captain. At last, he was hired by SMRT.
As Jayrius has to undergo regular dialysis sessions, the bus operator supports him by providing flexible work arrangements to ensure he can attend treatment and have enough rest, according to Zaobao.
Jayrius, who shares about his job and the industry on his personal social media pages, said in a TikTok video posted in March that he is "actively looking for a donor" so he could undergo a kidney transplant.
@_my.nightroutine._ thanks for following me 😅 #fyp #singapore ♬ original sound - _my.nightroutine._ - Jayrius 🤙
"SMRT has been very nice to me and allowed me to work with them when others didn't want me at all," he added.
According to Jayrius' Instagram account, he has been a SMRT bus captain since October 2025.
"It is very fulfilling and exciting," he said of his job. "I just enjoy serving the public and helping you get to your destination with ease."
He said that his biggest wish now is to find a suitable kidney donor.
"I hope that I can receive a transplant one day, and be truly free to do what I want to do."
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