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Protective screen a ‘good’ shield against violent commuters, bus drivers say

SINGAPORE — He has encountered passengers who do not pay their fares, and those who try to provoke a quarrel.

Buses in Singapore. TODAY file photo

Buses in Singapore. TODAY file photo

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SINGAPORE — He has encountered passengers who do not pay their fares, and those who try to provoke a quarrel.

The 39-year-old bus driver working with Tower Transit, who did not want to be identified, said: “I try to keep a distance and ignore (such passengers).” He is just thankful that such unpleasant situations had not escalated into physical assaults.

Other bus drivers approached by TODAY also spoke about how they often face aggressive or frustrated commuters during rush hour, as well as drunk passengers who have a tendency to turn violent, though they have not encountered physical abuse so far.

They welcomed the news that a six-month trial is starting next year, where 16 buses would have protective screens aimed at shielding drivers from harm and preventing hijacks.

The trial was announced on Tuesday (Nov 7) in Parliament by Dr Lam Pin Min, Senior Minister of State for Transport. Mr Melvin Yong, Member of Parliament for Tanjong Pagar GRC, had asked if the authorities would consider installing screens to protect bus drivers, to reduce the risk of hijacks.

The four bus companies here, namely Go-Ahead Singapore, SBS Transit, SMRT Buses and Tower Transit, will be involved in the trial, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said.

Speaking to TODAY, Mr Yong, who is also the executive secretary of the National Transport Workers’ Union, pointed out that while the screens would protect drivers against physical abuse, they could also guard against possible terrorist attacks where large vehicles such as buses are often targeted.

Heavy vehicles had been used as weapons, as seen in the terror attacks happening in other countries, the most recent being the New York City truck attack during Halloween.

Mr Yong said that the idea for the trial came after discussions with LTA representatives and public transport operators during a retreat in August, when security issues were being addressed. “Hopefully, with the screens, it offers some resistance or makes it more difficult for (someone to overpower the driver),” he said.

In early January, a bus driver suffered facial injuries after he was attacked by a passenger who was suspected to be drunk. Less than a week before this incident, three bus drivers — one driving Service 93 and two others driving Service 129 — were physically assaulted in separate incidents by a man who had boarded their buses along Bartley Road.

On Wednesday (Nov 8), when TODAY visited the bus interchanges at Jurong East and Bishan, most drivers interviewed agreed that the installation of such screens would provide an added layer of safeguard against possible physical assaults, or buy them some time to call for help during emergency situations such as hijacks.

Mr Kelvin Soo, 33, an SBS Transit bus driver, said that having a screen “is good” when there are angry outbursts from passengers. He would like to see more public awareness campaigns to educate commuters on proper etiquette when travelling on buses.

One bus driver with SBS Transit, who declined to be named, said that drivers regularly attend refresher courses where they are trained to handle difficult passengers or tense situations.

Another driver with SBS Transit, who wanted to be known only as Andy, 42, said that Singapore is generally “quite safe” compared to other countries, where there is a higher risk of passengers wielding knives or guns. As for terror attacks involving heavy vehicles, he added that it is not a big concern for him now. “We haven’t got to the point yet where people are very afraid of this... But it’s a matter of when, and not if (an attack will happen).”

However, Mr Wong, 54, who works with Tower Transit, wondered if having such screens would make it troublesome for them to get out of the drivers’ seat to help wheelchair users, and whether there would be a blinding glare reflected off the screens, which would affect his vision while driving.

When told of these concerns, Mr Yong said that the authorities would take them into consideration and get feedback from drivers on how to make it more “practical”. “(Yes), it offers protection, but we must also consider the operational aspects of (having such screens),” he added.

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