Wah Lau.. Like that Also can

Sept 20, 2005
Bus driver left 12-year-old girl stranded because she didn't have enough fare

My 12-year-old daughter takes bus service No. 13 at bus-stop B16 Upper East Coast Road and gets off at bus-stop B04 Changi Road to head for home at Block 842, Sims Avenue after her mathematics tuition.

She had lost her EZlink card and was told to pay $1 for the journey home the first time she took a bus. She had been taking this service for the past nine months and had been paying $1 each time she took it.

On Sept 10, she boarded bus number 13 at bus-stop B16 Upper East Coast Road at around 2pm. She was told by the driver that she had to pay $1.30 for the journey home. Unfortunately, she did not bring extra money and told the driver.

The driver dropped her off at bus-stop B02 Marine Terrace. Stranded with no money, my daughter had to walk all the way home. Fortunately, she was sensible enough to follow the main road and find her way back.

This experience has not only traumatised by daughter who now fears taking the public bus alone, it has also shaken my family's trust and confidence in our public bus service.

My husband and I are appalled that the bus driver had dropped my daughter far from home just for 30 cents without any regard for her safety.

Why do bus-drivers quote different fares to my daughter for the same distance travelled? Is it not true that the fare that a commuter pays is determined by the distance travelled and not is left to the discretion of the bus-driver?

Is this a case of victimising a young and naive girl? Was the 30 cents more important to the driver than the safety of a twelve-year-old girl? In a job where one deals with the public, couldn't the bus driver have exercised better judgement?

I am sure there are many parents like us who allow our children to take public transport alone, believing that the safety of our children will not be jeopardised at any cost.

I would like the Singapore Bus Service to answer my queries and educate their drivers so as to avoid a mishap in future and risk losing the confidence of parents like us.

M. Sainava Buang (Mdm)