(Sg News): Playing music loudly, putting feet on seats onboard buses will face fines of up to $500 from Sep 23

[sphere]

I find this new law/regulation was long overdue, but definitely welcoming this move (better late than never) eh, haha.

 

 

 

 

Bus commuters playing music loudly, putting feet on seats face fines of up to $500 from Sept 23: LTA

As public transport is a shared space, every commuter has a part to play in ensuring “a gracious and pleasant commuting environment”, LTA said.

 ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

 

Published Sep 21, 2026, 01:34 PM

Updated Sep 21, 2026, 07:40 PM

 

SINGAPORE – Bus passengers who play music loudly, put their feet on seats, or engage in other disruptive acts can be fined up to $500 from Sept 23, under new laws to make public bus commutes safer and more comfortable.

 

Other offences include littering, eating or drinking on board, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Sept 21.

 

More severe offences, such as causing obstruction or danger at bus interchanges and terminals, or soiling any part of a bus or interchange, will carry a maximum fine of $5,000.

 

As public transport is a shared space, every commuter has a part to play in ensuring “a gracious and pleasant commuting environment”, LTA said.

 

The government agency added that it will continue to work with public bus operators to exercise discretion when handling cases involving inconsiderate commuters, particularly those with physical or mental health conditions.

 

To enforce these rules, certain staff from the four public bus operators, such as ticket inspectors and staff in bus interchanges, can issue administrative notifications to passengers suspected of committing offences.

 

LTA will then follow up with its investigations.

 

Bus drivers will not be authorised to issue such notifications “so as not to affect their core duty of safely operating the bus”, it said.

 

However, they can advise passengers to stop engaging in disruptive behaviour, and ask them to alight if they fail to comply.

 

If an unruly passenger refuses to cooperate, a bus driver can request help from the bus operations control centre or the police.

 

In its statement, LTA said the new penalties align with those for rail, adding that in managing disruptive behaviour on buses, the priority is to minimise any inconvenience to other commuters, while ensuring that bus services are not disrupted.

 

In March 2025, then Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Baey Yam Keng said in Parliament that the Government’s powers to manage commuter behaviour on board buses were more limited than for rail.

 

New regulations were later passed in Parliament in October 2025, with the aim of regulating the conduct of bus passengers to prevent inconsiderate behaviour. Senior Minister of State for Transport Murali Pillai said then that the rules will take reference from the Rapid Transit Systems Act.

 

Commuters whom The Straits Times spoke to welcomed the stricter regulations, saying the rules could help deter some passengers from engaging in inconsiderate behaviour.

 

Flight steward Nelson Ferdinand, 29, commutes daily from Woodlands to Changi Airport, taking about an hour and 45 minutes.

 

The journey is made worse when he has to endure other commuters blasting music or videos from their devices, he said.

 

“I saw the new rules and I thought, ‘Thank God’, because some people can be really inconsiderate,” he added.

 

Similarly, media professional A. Aravind, 30, appreciates the effort to make bus commutes a smoother experience for everyone.

 

However, he noted that the move could potentially encourage vigilantism, with some commuters emboldened by the regulations to film those they perceived to have committed an offence.

 

 

[source: here; or news report from CNA --> here]

 

[cbm]

"soiling any part of a bus or interchange, will carry a maximum fine of $5,000."

 

This part should serve as a warning to those horny guys who jerk off and cum while taking the bus.

[davidlei]

4 hours ago, sphere said:

I find this new law/regulation was long overdue, but definitely welcoming this move (better late than never) eh, haha.

 

 

 

 

Bus commuters playing music loudly, putting feet on seats face fines of up to $500 from Sept 23: LTA

As public transport is a shared space, every commuter has a part to play in ensuring “a gracious and pleasant commuting environment”, LTA said.

 ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

 

Published Sep 21, 2026, 01:34 PM

Updated Sep 21, 2026, 07:40 PM

 

SINGAPORE – Bus passengers who play music loudly, put their feet on seats, or engage in other disruptive acts can be fined up to $500 from Sept 23, under new laws to make public bus commutes safer and more comfortable.

 

Other offences include littering, eating or drinking on board, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Sept 21.

 

More severe offences, such as causing obstruction or danger at bus interchanges and terminals, or soiling any part of a bus or interchange, will carry a maximum fine of $5,000.

 

As public transport is a shared space, every commuter has a part to play in ensuring “a gracious and pleasant commuting environment”, LTA said.

 

The government agency added that it will continue to work with public bus operators to exercise discretion when handling cases involving inconsiderate commuters, particularly those with physical or mental health conditions.

 

To enforce these rules, certain staff from the four public bus operators, such as ticket inspectors and staff in bus interchanges, can issue administrative notifications to passengers suspected of committing offences.

 

LTA will then follow up with its investigations.

 

Bus drivers will not be authorised to issue such notifications “so as not to affect their core duty of safely operating the bus”, it said.

 

However, they can advise passengers to stop engaging in disruptive behaviour, and ask them to alight if they fail to comply.

 

If an unruly passenger refuses to cooperate, a bus driver can request help from the bus operations control centre or the police.

 

In its statement, LTA said the new penalties align with those for rail, adding that in managing disruptive behaviour on buses, the priority is to minimise any inconvenience to other commuters, while ensuring that bus services are not disrupted.

 

In March 2025, then Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Baey Yam Keng said in Parliament that the Government’s powers to manage commuter behaviour on board buses were more limited than for rail.

 

New regulations were later passed in Parliament in October 2025, with the aim of regulating the conduct of bus passengers to prevent inconsiderate behaviour. Senior Minister of State for Transport Murali Pillai said then that the rules will take reference from the Rapid Transit Systems Act.

 

Commuters whom The Straits Times spoke to welcomed the stricter regulations, saying the rules could help deter some passengers from engaging in inconsiderate behaviour.

 

Flight steward Nelson Ferdinand, 29, commutes daily from Woodlands to Changi Airport, taking about an hour and 45 minutes.

 

The journey is made worse when he has to endure other commuters blasting music or videos from their devices, he said.

 

“I saw the new rules and I thought, ‘Thank God’, because some people can be really inconsiderate,” he added.

 

Similarly, media professional A. Aravind, 30, appreciates the effort to make bus commutes a smoother experience for everyone.

 

However, he noted that the move could potentially encourage vigilantism, with some commuters emboldened by the regulations to film those they perceived to have committed an offence.

 

 

[source: here; or news report from CNA --> here]

 

Agree, although I rarely see it, I am all for it. You see it a tad bit more in Bangkok, mostly from foreigners/visitors. 

[sphere]

2 hours ago, cbm said:

"soiling any part of a bus or interchange, will carry a maximum fine of $5,000."

 

This part should serve as a warning to those horny guys who jerk off and cum while taking the bus.

 

When I read this part on "soiling", it only reminded me of the recent Hyrox news...   🤭

 

[Jo L]

11 hours ago, cbm said:

"soiling any part of a bus or interchange, will carry a maximum fine of $5,000."

 

This part should serve as a warning to those horny guys who jerk off and cum while taking the bus.

Really? Have anyone ever encountered this? Either you saw the guy actually jerking off or stepped on a puddle of cum that someone left behind? 

[singalion]

I just wonder how the authorities intend to enforce these new rules... 

 

In the bus people will call the police (if some auntie listens to her voice messages at full volume?) The article talks about listening to loud music. Are noisy telephone calls also considered a nuisance under this law? 

It seems yes: 

11.—(1)  A bus passenger must not conduct himself or herself within a public bus in a manner that causes, or is likely to cause, nuisance or annoyance to other bus passengers of that public bus.

Examples 1. A bus passenger who places his or her feet, or footwear, on a seat of the public bus is causing annoyance to other bus passengers of that public bus. 2. A bus passenger who uses any mobile phone, wireless handheld device (such as a tablet computer) or wearable device (such as a smart watch) which produces a loud sound that may be heard by one or more other bus passengers, is causing annoyance to other bus passengers of that public bus.

 

The bus driver will stop on the road and hand you the fine? (no, they are not permitted to issue any fines). Only ticket inspectors can issue fines and bus interchange officers... 

 

 

Singapore is coming up with a lot of these fines for wrongdoings but actually they are failed as there is no real enforcement. 

Just look at the non smoking rules. What smoker truly counts the 5 m from a busstop or whether he is at a covered footpath etc etc? 

Even if you nicely tell people not to smoke, they either get nasty, show the ugly finger or just don't bother. 

 

[quanjishou]

yes agreed that talking loud on phone, if put on speaker double the noise. actually even like a group talking to each other too loud so long it produces a loud sound that may be heard by one or more other bus passengers, is causing annoyance to other bus passengers of that public bus.

so if u create a 100 decibel of noise that is annoyance be it from music, talking on phone or talking to one another.

 

i am not saying u cannot talk but if the person is beside you and you need to use a volume that your words can be heard clearly across the whole cabin or bus that is too loud. and actually to be considerate keep conversation short even it is not against the law, what is our courtesy campaign doing.

[sum1outhere_03]

Idk if this rule is going to be effective (especially when there is no one policing). People are still playing music loudly from their phones.

[Why?]

Mostly baby bommers, Karens and foreign work permit holders - particularly neh.