SINGAPORE — Concern is growing over the safety of public transport workers after a Go-Ahead Singapore bus captain was allegedly assaulted while on duty, marking the second reported case involving one of the operator’s drivers in just three months.
National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) executive secretary Yeo Wan Ling said she was “deeply concerned” about the latest incident and stressed that bus captains should be able to perform their duties “with dignity and without fear.”
The latest incident happened on Aug. 16 at about 5.20pm, while the bus captain was operating Service 2, which runs between Changi Village Terminal and Kampong Bahru Terminal.
According to Go-Ahead Singapore, the incident disrupted the bus journey. The driver subsequently sought medical treatment at Changi General Hospital and has since returned to work. A police report was also lodged, and the operator said it is cooperating with the authorities.
Yeo said the incident was particularly troubling because it was the second alleged assault involving a Go-Ahead bus captain within three months.
“Abuse and violence against public transport workers must never be normalised or accepted as simply part of the job,” she said in a Facebook post on Aug. 28.
Second alleged assault follows May incident
The latest case comes after another Go-Ahead bus captain was allegedly assaulted on May 23.
That earlier incident also involved Service 2. The driver was reportedly attacked by a passenger who was angry after missing his stop. Go-Ahead said the bus captain was verbally abused and physically assaulted while driving, causing the journey to be disrupted.
The driver subsequently sought medical attention at Changi General Hospital. NTWU said at the time that he experienced blurred vision, although his injuries were not considered serious. Union and company representatives accompanied him when he made a police report.
Taken together, the two cases have renewed concerns about the risks faced by bus captains and other frontline transport workers.
‘Their safety matters, too’
Yeo said bus captains spend long hours on the road and carry significant responsibility for the safety of thousands of commuters.
While disagreements and frustrations can happen during a journey, she stressed that they should be resolved without violence or abuse.
“Disagreements and frustrations may arise during a journey,” Yeo said. “They can and should be resolved without resorting to abuse or violence.”
An NTWU representative accompanied the latest affected driver to Changi General Hospital, while the union remains in contact with him and is prepared to provide further assistance, including legal support if necessary.
Go-Ahead Singapore has likewise said it does not condone abuse or violence against its employees, stressing that bus captains should not have to face such behaviour while carrying out their duties.
Reported abuse of bus captains has been rising
The two Go-Ahead cases come amid broader concerns about abuse targeting Singapore’s public transport workers.
According to figures from the Land Transport Authority cited by CNA, 35 cases of physical abuse against bus captains were reported in 2025, compared with 26 cases in 2024. By April 2026, another 10 cases had already been recorded.
The problem is not limited to physical attacks. Transport workers have also faced verbal abuse, online harassment, cyberbullying and doxxing.
In a parliamentary reply, Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said that from 2021 to 2025, an average of about 60 cases a year were reported under the Protection from Harassment Act involving public transport workers who were allegedly harassed by commuters while performing their duties.
Under Singapore’s Protection from Harassment Act, using indecent, threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour toward a public transport worker can constitute an offence, with offenders potentially facing fines and/or imprisonment upon conviction.
Calls for commuters to show respect
Transport operators have been working on measures including conflict-management and de-escalation training for bus captains. Operators can also provide support and counselling following difficult encounters.
NTWU has said it wants to strengthen mental-wellness support for transport workers who experience abuse or online harassment, while also promoting greater public awareness about treating frontline transport workers with respect.
The union’s message following the latest Go-Ahead incident is clear: keeping passengers safe should not mean bus captains have to put their own safety at risk.
Yeo urged commuters to show public transport workers the same patience and respect they would expect for themselves or their loved ones at work.
“Our Bus Captains look after us on our journeys every day. Let’s look after them too,” she said.
The latest incident remains the subject of police investigation, and the allegations should not be treated as findings of guilt unless established through the appropriate legal process.
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