Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Regulations for Public Transport Operators to Ensure Passenger Safety and Accident-Free Bus Operations

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Transport whether any guidelines or regulations are issued to public transport operators to ensure that bus services (i) alight passengers closer to the kerb so that elderly persons do not have to jump to reach the kerb (ii) reduce instances of jerky driving and (iii) ensure that bus captains pay closer attention to traffic lights to reduce incidents of sudden braking that can lead to passengers falling down and getting injured.

Reply by Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat:

1. Safety is a key priority, and public transport operators have to meet stringent safety standards. In addition, the Land Transport Authority provides regular guidance on bus safety to the public transport operators, including guidelines for Bus Captains, as well as quarterly safety bulletins to share learning points. These include stopping the bus close to the kerb when possible, looking out for passengers onboard before moving off, and the importance of practicing safe and defensive driving techniques to provide smoother and safer rides.

2. These safety messages are reinforced as part of the training for new Bus Captains, and disseminated by operators to existing Bus Captains through various platforms such as staff mobile applications and safety briefings. The operators have also installed telematics systems onboard buses to monitor Bus Captains' driving behaviours, which can provide immediate feedback to Bus Captains and allow operators to identify Bus Captains who may require coaching or remedial training. For example, SMRT has upgraded their fleet with a system that is able to provide safety alerts to Bus Captains if it senses that they are distracted, or if they perform abrupt lane-changes.