Passenger scolds S'pore bus driver for driving at 'very slow speed', but driver wins praise for being calm & professional

A TikTok user posted a video of himself confronting a bus driver in Singapore for allegedly driving too slowly.

However, many netizens sided with the bus driver instead, criticising the passenger for harassing him while he was on duty.

Both the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Tower Transit Singapore later also commended the driver for remaining calm and professional throughout the incident.

What happened

On Jul. 6, a TikTok user, @mohamed.mirrah, uploaded a video showing himself confronting a Tower Transit bus driver over what he claimed was the bus's slow speed.

"Driving at your own pace? You following your own timing or what? We have our timing [to meet]," the passenger can be heard saying in the video.

In response, the bus driver said he was following the standard operating procedure (SOP). However, the passenger disputed it.

The driver then proceeded to explain that he was scheduled to arrive at the next bus stop at 8:50am, and was already about five minutes ahead of schedule.

The passenger, however, insisted that the driver was not operating the bus properly.

"You are doing the wrong thing, and I have to attend a class. I have a specific time to attend," he said.

The driver then told the passenger that he could have taken an earlier bus if he needed to arrive by a certain time.

He later also pointed out that he did not consent to being filmed.

In a follow-up TikTok post, the user wrote:

"Bus Driver says he follow SOP and at a very slow speed.. what do you all think of the SOP of Bus.

Rush when they are late can cause accidents, slow down or stop for a long time at a bus stop can cause obstruction for other vehicles."

In the comments section, many defended the driver, noting that bus captains are required to follow scheduled arrival times rather than simply drive as fast as possible.

@mohamed.mirrah♬ original sound - GadgetLah

Tower Transit: Driver followed schedule

In a Facebook post on Jul. 15, Tower Transit Singapore said it was aware of the video and confirmed that the incident took place on Service 984.

The operator said it had reviewed the trip details and found that the driver had been operating the service in accordance with the planned schedule.

"Many people assume that a bus captain's job is to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible," it said. "In reality, bus captains are to maintain even spacing between buses so that waiting times remain as consistent and predictable as possible for commuters. This is why a bus may sometimes travel below the speed limit even when the road ahead is clear."

Tower Transit also described the passenger's actions as a "serious safety concern", saying they could have distracted the driver from remaining fully focused on the road, putting passengers, pedestrians and other road users at risk.

"Despite the provocation, our bus captain remained calm, professional and focused on driving safely. We commend him for his professionalism and commitment to keeping everyone safe."

Stand against harassment of public transport workers

The operator also reminded commuters that it, together with LTA and the National Transport Workers' Union, stands firmly against the harassment and doxxing of public transport workers.

"Our bus captains deserve to carry out their duties without fear of intimidation or online abuse," it said.

Tower Transit added that under the Conditions of Carriage for public buses, commuters who behave disruptively, including those who abuse public transport workers, may be required to leave the bus or be referred to the police.

It also encouraged commuters with feedback about its services to use its official feedback channels, allowing the operator to investigate concerns while protecting public transport workers and their families from unnecessary online harassment.

Separately, LTA also issued a statement on the incident on their Facebook page, commending the bus driver for his handling of the incident.

The authority said Singapore's public transport workers work hard every day to keep the country moving and deserve to be treated with courtesy and respect.

"We urge all commuters to refrain from behaviour that may distract, harass, or intimidate public transport staff while they are carrying out their duties."