Bus passengers in Singapore can now be fined up to $500 Singapore dollars ($391; £293) for placing their feet on seats or playing loud audio, as well as eating, drinking or littering onboard.
A fine of up to $5,000 will be imposed for more serious offences, such as causing obstruction or danger to fellow commuters within bus terminals or “the soiling of any part of a public bus, bus interchange, or terminal”.
“These will foster a safer, more considerate and pleasant public transport environment for all,” the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a news release.
The new regulations, announced on Monday, align with existing rules on Singapore’s railway, or Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), network.
But while there have long been punishments for MRT passengers caught eating onboard, for example, rules on buses were typically company policies enforced by drivers, who could ask commuters to alight.
Now these nuisance behaviours have become official legal offences carrying immediate fines.
Authorised bus staff – such as ticket inspectors and bus interchange staff – can issue official notices to passengers who are suspected of committing an offence, according to LTA.
Bus drivers – or “captains”, as they are called in Singapore – will not be given the same authority, leaving them to prioritise their duty of safely operating the bus. They can, however, tell commuters to stop disruptive behaviour, and those who refuse to cooperate may be asked to alight the bus or, in severe cases, face police intervention.
Singapore is not alone in trying to make public transport more peaceful. As transit networks grow, cities around the world are actively cracking down on bad behaviour to ensure a peaceful commute for all passengers.
Earlier this year, the Polish city of Kraków introduced similar rules targeting public transit nuisances, with commuters now facing a fine of up to 200 złoty ($52; £39) for disruptive behaviour.
These behaviours include playing music, watching videos without headphones, or taking particularly loud loudspeaker calls on buses and trams.
In the United Kingdom, existing laws ban using “sound-producing equipment” without permission if it annoys others, carrying potential fines of up to £1,000.
Some politicians have pushed to specifically fine “headphone dodgers” across all public transport, including buses.
These rules in Singapore, Kraków, and the United Kingdom show a growing trend of transport authorities stepping in to protect passengers.
As Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) puts it: “Public transport is a shared space, and every commuter has a part to play in ensuring a gracious and pleasant commuting environment.”
