Singapore began enforcing new rules to control passenger behavior on public buses and bus terminals starting 23 September. Those who play phone sounds loudly, place feet on seats, litter, eat or drink on buses may be fined up to SGD 500, approximately 13,000 baht. More serious offenses, such as obstructing or endangering other passengers, may incur fines up to SGD 5,000, about 130,000 baht.
Public bus passengers in Singapore must comply with new behavioral rules from Wednesday, 23 September onward. Those who play loud sounds from phones or other devices, place feet on seats, litter, eat, or drink on buses may face fines up to SGD 500, roughly 13,000 baht.
More severe violations, such as obstructing or endangering other passengers within bus stations and terminals, or soiling any part of buses, bus stations, or terminals, can lead to fines up to SGD 5,000, about 130,000 baht.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced details of these rules on 21 September, following Singapore’s Parliament passing legal amendments in October 2025 to allow regulation of passenger conduct on public buses, including within bus stations and terminals.
LTA stated that penalties for offenses on buses align with those governing conduct in the MRT system, aiming to encourage passenger consideration and foster a safe, pleasant travel environment for all.
Under the new rules, authorized staff from the four public bus operators, including ticket inspectors and bus station officers, may issue "administrative offense notices" to suspected violators, with LTA conducting subsequent investigations.
However, bus drivers do not have authority to issue these notices, allowing them to focus fully on driving and passenger safety. Drivers retain the right, under service conditions, to warn passengers to stop disruptive behavior and may request non-compliant passengers to disembark.
If passengers refuse to cooperate, drivers may seek assistance from the traffic control center or, in serious cases, contact the police.
LTA emphasized that despite new rules and penalties, authorities and bus operators will exercise discretion and fairness, particularly regarding passengers with physical or mental health conditions. Managing disruptive behavior will prioritize minimizing impact on others without disrupting bus services.
These measures are part of Singapore’s efforts to strengthen enforcement against disruptive behavior in public transport. LTA began stricter measures in March 2025 after installing public notices from December 2024 urging passengers to be considerate—such as lowering volume, occupying only one seat per person, and not sitting on floors. Signs on buses also remind passengers to control noise levels.
When Parliament considered and passed transport sector law amendments in October 2025, the government sought to harmonize legal standards for inappropriate behavior on buses and trains.
Examples of regulated behaviors include littering, eating and drinking, and causing disturbance by playing loud music or videos from mobile phones.
These new rules fall under the 2026 Public Bus Service Industry (Behavior and Activities Control) Regulations and the 2026 Passenger Transport Terminal (Behavior and Activities Control) Regulations.
The regulations aim to promote good passenger conduct on public buses and at bus terminals and stops, consistent with existing rules prohibiting disruptive behavior on the MRT network.
SourceCNA/Mothership
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