A passenger who missed his intended bus stop after becoming distracted by his handphone was sentenced to 11 months in jail after punching an SBS Transit bus captain who refused to let him alight by the roadside.
The incident happened on June 8 aboard bus service 30, according to SBS Transit. The commuter had been distracted by his phone and failed to get off at the stop where he had intended to alight.
After realising he had missed the stop, the man approached the bus captain and demanded to be let off along the roadside instead.
The bus captain refused the request, citing safety concerns. Rather than accepting the decision and continuing to the next appropriate stopping point, the passenger became aggressive and turned violent.
SBS Transit said the man punched the bus captain while the bus was still moving. The assault created an immediate safety concern because the driver was responsible for controlling the vehicle while also dealing with the violent passenger.
The bus captain responded by stopping the vehicle immediately to protect the other commuters on board. Police officers and an ambulance were subsequently called to the scene, and the bus captain received medical assistance.
SBS Transit condemned the assault and said its bus captains work every day to keep Singapore’s public transport system operating safely. The operator also said frontline workers should be treated with respect while carrying out their duties and that violence against staff was unacceptable.
The company added that it stands behind its employees and would support any legal action taken in connection with the incident.
The case comes amid a series of reported assaults involving public bus captains in Singapore. SBS Transit said the June incident was the third reported case involving a public bus driver being assaulted within a three-month period.
Two other incidents involved bus captains from Go-Ahead Singapore. On Aug. 16, a bus captain operating service 2 was allegedly assaulted, disrupting the journey. He later sought treatment at Changi General Hospital and subsequently recovered before returning to work.
Another incident on May 23 involved a commuter who allegedly became abusive after missing his stop. The bus captain was reportedly subjected to both verbal and physical abuse, with the assault allegedly causing blurred vision, although the injuries were not considered severe.
The latest case has again highlighted the risks faced by public transport workers, who must maintain control of large vehicles and protect passengers while dealing with unexpected confrontations.
For commuters, missing a stop can mean taking the next available service or finding another safe place to alight. In this case, however, an attempt to resolve a missed stop escalated into an assault that resulted in an 11-month jail sentence.
