Bus captain accused of scolding wheelchair user & 'driving in anger', SBS Transit apologises for attitude

SBS Transit did not find any instance of unsafe driving.

Zi Shan Kow | February 04, 2023, 04:16 PM

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A SBS Transit passenger took to Facebook's Complaint Singapore to voice her unhappiness about a bus captain's poor attitude and temper.

The company has apologised for the bus captain's behaviour, but maintains that he did not drive in an unsafe manner.

Said bus captain was impatient and scolded elderly woman in wheelchair

Recounting her experience, the Facebook user said she boarded bus service 147 at Hougang Central Bus Interchange alongside an old lady in a wheelchair who was with her daughter.

The daughter had approached the bus captain to ask him to deploy the ramp for the wheelchair.

The bus captain was "impatient, venting his temper and scolded" the old lady in the wheelchair, described the user.

He supposedly said, in Mandarin: "Why did you not say this earlier? Now I need to move the bus for you."

When the bus captain deployed the ramp, the user said it hit the ground "real hard" and all the passengers on board were shocked. According to the user, he repeatedly scolded the pair.

Claimed bus captain was "driving in anger"

The user also complained that the bus captain was "driving in anger", which would affect his judgement on the road.

She said he jammed on the brakes repeatedly, causing "unstable road movement", even though most of the passengers onboard were elderly.

"I am feeling so angry towards this kind of driver that SBS Transit hired. His verge of anger would have cost lives and put other passengers in danger. The way he approached and portrayed himself in front of public as a Singapore SBS Transit driver really disgraced the company image and reputation."

In her post, the user included a video of the bus captain deploying the ramp when the pair alighted to demonstrate how loud it was. She added that other commuters at the bus stop stared at him as well.

The user asked SBS Transit to investigate the incident and said the man deserved a warning letter for his "rudeness" and "disgusting" attitude.

SBS Transit apologised for his lapse

In response to Mothership's queries, Vice President (Special Grade) of Customer Experience and Communications at SBS Transit Grace Wu said an investigation of the incident has been carried out, including viewing CCTV footage.

Wu noted that the passenger-in-wheelchair and her two caregivers did not wait for the bus at the designated wheelchair boarding point.

As a result, the bus captain had to manoeuvre the bus twice, each time requiring him to physically check that the ramp could be safely and securely deployed before the passenger-in-wheelchair could board.

She said that the bus captain had "remarked loudly" to them about not informing him earlier about their intention to board, as it would have averted the additional time taken to manoeuvre the bus.

"This is unacceptable and we apologise for his lapse. We have since reminded him to be more customer-centric," said Wu.

Bus captain has back injury, did not drive unsafely

Wu also explained that the bus captain "suffers from a back injury which prevents him from being able to bend down fully to place the ramp gently on the ground".

Therefore, the "slightly loud sound" from the ramp deployment "was not due to anger or aggression", she said.

As for the bus captain's driving performance, she added that they did not find any instance of unsafe driving, and no abrupt or sudden braking was applied throughout the said journey.

Top images via Bella Bii/Facebook.