‘They deserve respect’: Go-Ahead Singapore speaks out after bus captain allegedly assaulted

SINGAPORE: A Go-Ahead Singapore bus captain was allegedly assaulted by a passenger after the commuter became upset over missing his bus stop while travelling on Bus Service 2 on May 23.

In a Facebook post, the transport operator said the incident happened at around 3:10 p.m.

“At about 3:10 p.m., the commuter grew angry after his bus stop was missed and proceeded to verbally abuse and physically assault our bus captain while he was driving,” Go-Ahead Singapore stated.

The company added that the trip was disrupted following the incident and that the bus captain later sought medical attention at Changi General Hospital.

Go-Ahead Singapore stressed that it does not tolerate any form of abuse or violence against public transport workers, warning that such behaviour puts staff, commuters, and other road users at risk.

“Our bus captains carry out their duties every day with professionalism and care to ensure commuters reach their destinations safely. They deserve respect and should not have to endure abuse in the course of their work,” the company added.

Many netizens also shared their thoughts on the incident online.

Some commenters speculated that there may have been more to the confrontation.

“There is a great chance that the driver say something rude and make the passenger angry. I had many exp with rude bus drivers. Yes, the passenger should not hit the driver but the driver is responsible for calming the situation,” one commenter wrote.

“Not condoning violence but it takes 2 hands to clap,” another said.

Others disagreed, saying there was no excuse for physically assaulting a public transport worker regardless of the circumstances.

One netizen wrote that disagreements should instead be resolved calmly or reported through the proper feedback channels.

Another commenter also praised Go-Ahead Singapore for publicly standing up for its employee.

“It makes them feel supported and not alone, giving them greater confidence to carry out their duties safely and confidently,” the commenter said.