Another parent comments after 12-year-old daughter was scolded by a bus driver in public due to an EZ-Link card mistake

SINGAPORE: A parent of a 12-year-old girl expressed her opinion after her child got scolded by a bus driver in public because of an EZ-Link card issue. 

Recently, there was a father who reported about his 11-year-old son’s experience when the child was told to get off a bus due to insufficient balance on his EZ-Link card. His son’s EZ-Link card only had S$0.26, while the fare was S$0.56, and the father said that his son had left his wallet at home and had no other means to pay. 

The father was very disappointed by the incident, indicating that his son was wearing a full school uniform, and it was obvious that he was about to go to school. He had hoped that a little consideration could have made a huge difference. Read more about the story here. 

Due to this, a mother was prompted to also share her daughter’s unfortunate encounter with a bus driver. The mother shared that her daughter’s EZ-Link card either was not tapped properly or was not detected in the crowd, and there was no entry record. 

“When she tried to tap out upon alighting, the system didn’t detect the exit – since there was no entry in the first place,” the mother continued. The bus captain then noticed the issue and, instead of approaching the child in a calm manner, proceeded to shout at her daughter in public and told her to get out. 

“She was terrified and deeply embarrassed in front of all the passengers,” the mother stated. 

She added, “I understand that bus captains have rules and systems to follow, but sometimes children make innocent mistakes. They might not even realise what went wrong with the card.” 

The mother also expressed that a little patience and understanding can make a difference to a child’s confidence and sense of safety. 

“I truly hope public transport staff can show more compassion, especially towards schoolchildren. These small moments can have a lasting emotional impact – and a bit of kindness can go a long way,” the mother concluded. 

It is encouraged by Singapore laws that a licensee driving or riding a vehicle carrying paying passengers must be polite and calm, and must make sure that the passengers are safe when getting in, riding, and getting out of the vehicle.