Bus driver misses stop at Woodlands then demands passenger apologise, Tower Transit says action 'unacceptable'

A bus captain operating Service 856 was found to be at fault after allegedly bypassing a stop at Woodlands North MRT station, prompting a confrontation with a passenger that was later shared on TikTok.

In a statement to Mothership, Tower Transit Singapore said it had completed its investigation into the incident and "found the bus captain to be at fault", even though the stop bell had been activated late.

The video

@nshkn.rs The reason many people were late to work today was due to the bus driver’s failure to stop at Woodlands North MRT as scheduled. Despite passengers requesting to alight, he refused and continued driving, only stopping at Khalsa Crescent (Drug Rehabilitation Centre) bus stop. As a result, all passengers were forced to walk and cross the road from Khalsa Crescent to Woodlands North MRT, causing significant delays and inconvenience. We request a proper investigation into this matter, as well as appropriate action to be taken against the driver. We also hope that compensation will be considered for those affected. #FYP @Singapore Police Force @Tower Transit Singapore @Land Transport Authority @J | 🐉 ♬ original sound - Ekin🎀 - nshkn.rs

The incident surfaced after TikTok user @nshkn.rs posted a video on Apr. 24 showing a heated exchange between a passenger and the driver.

According to the caption, passengers had requested to alight at Woodlands North MRT station, but the bus continued on and only stopped at Khalsa Crescent, near the Drug Rehabilitation Centre.

The user alleged that passengers were then forced to walk back and cross the road to reach the MRT station, causing delays during the morning commute.

Passenger questioned driver after missed stop

In the video, the passenger is heard asking the driver why he had not stopped, adding that many people had been made late for work.

When the driver asked whether anyone had pressed the bell, the passenger responded that it had been pressed and asked if he was “deaf”.

“Right now, you’re in the wrong,” she added.

The exchange escalated when the passenger repeatedly asked whether the driver intended to open the doors, while the driver insisted she apologise for raising her voice at him.

At one point, the driver said, “I’m asking if you’re going to give me an apology” and emphasised that he would not move unless he received one.

The doors were opened shortly afterwards.

Tower Transit apologises

Tower Transit said that while the bell had been pressed at the last minute, the bus captain "could have exercised better judgement" and should not have bypassed the stop.

Tower Transit added:

“Furthermore, his decision to not open the doors when the bus arrived at the next stop was unacceptable.

“We sincerely apologise to the passengers who were inconvenienced and delayed.”

The operator said that the bus captain will undergo remedial training and counselling.

Passengers affected were invited to contact Tower Transit through its feedback channels.

Mixed reactions online

The video drew tens of thousands of views, with some commenters criticising the driver's conduct, while others said drivers can make mistakes and suggested the incident may have been isolated.

One commenter who claimed to have been on the same bus said several passengers had been allegedly unable to alight and were forced to walk.

Another commenter said that if the missed stop was a one-off incident, both sides could have handled the situation more calmly.