Three commended for stepping up during Tower Transit bus driver's medical emergency

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SINGAPORE: For first-year polytechnic student Neo Ying Ying, Sep 14 was just like any other day. After completing a driving lesson at Ubi, she boarded bus service 854 to get home.

Ms Neo, 18, recalls the Tower Transit bus being quiet when she boarded, with only a handful of passengers on the lower and upper decks. She slipped her AirPods on and settled in for the journey home – but not long after, she was jolted by a sudden, jerking halt. 

Her first instinct was to rush to the front of the bus, where she found the elderly bus captain slumped unconscious in his seat. The bus had struck a curb, but was still inching forward.

Another passenger, Ms Ng Lihui, wasted no time climbing into the driver's seat in a bid to stop the bus. 

Spotting a sticker near the steering wheel that read "For Safety: Handbrake On" – a reminder for bus captains to engage the handbrake when not in motion – the 40-year-old was able to quickly locate the correct lever and bring the bus to a stop.

Ms Neo called for an ambulance, and with the help of a third passenger, she and Ms Ng moved the driver out from his seat and laid him down on the floor while waiting for paramedics to arrive.

"I didn't know how to react. It's my first time facing (something like) this. So I just went with the flow," said Ms Neo.

"I just hope that the uncle will recover because I think he's around the same age as my ah gong (grandfather)," she said.

The two women were among three individuals who were awarded tokens of appreciation at Yishun Integrated Transport Hub on Friday (Oct 16).

Thanking them for stepping up, Minister of State for Transport Baey Yam Keng said their actions had not only helped to save a life, but also ensured that the passengers on board were safe.

"This demonstrates the core of our Caring Commuters movement, where everyone can play a part to make our public transport journeys safer, more caring, and more inclusive," he said.

The ceremony was organised by Tower Transit Singapore, in partnership with the Public Transport Council, and in support of the Caring SG Commuters movement.  

Tower Transit Singapore is still looking for two individuals related to the incident: a commuter at the bus stop who first raised the alarm on the driver becoming unresponsive by banging on the bus door from outside the vehicle, and the passenger who helped Ms Ng and Ms Neo move the unresponsive driver and stayed with them until the ambulance arrived.

THE BUS CAPTAIN WHO STEPPED IN

SBS Transit bus captain Toh Tiong Huat, 60, was also awarded tokens of appreciation on Friday, including a hamper with goodies and supermarket vouchers.

Mr Toh was driving bus service 55 along Hougang Avenue 3 behind bus 854 when he noticed the vehicle moving erratically as it approached a bus stop.

He observed that a man waiting at the bus stop was banging on the front door of bus 854 and shouting to alert passengers. Other commuters waiting at the bus stop also appeared wary of boarding bus 854.

Concerned, Mr Toh parked his own bus and went over to investigate.

Boarding the bus, he recalls finding Ms Ng in the driver's seat and the bus captain unconscious. Mr Toh promptly contacted the Tower Transit Bus Operations Control Centre for assistance.

"Behind me, drivers were horning and a line of cars had formed … they did not know what had happened," he said in Mandarin.

Even after the emergency was over, the incident continued to weigh on his mind. For the next two nights, he struggled to fall asleep, worrying about the bus captain's condition.

"Hearing them say he's awake and is well, I felt really relieved," he said.

"NICE TO BE APPRECIATED"

When the incident started appearing in headlines, Ms Neo and Ms Ng began receiving related articles and posts from families and friends.

Neither had initially intended to identify themselves, they told CNA – but Ms Ng eventually did so at the encouragement of the people around her, while Ms Neo's cousin came forward on her behalf.

"I don't think we needed any appreciation. It could have gone unknown … (but) it's nice to be appreciated, of course," said Ms Ng, who works in food manufacturing.

Instead of sharing about the incident publicly, she recalls recounting the ordeal – which had spanned about 30 minutes – to friends after in a group chat.

As for Ms Neo, her first instinct upon catching another bus home was to text her mother about the incident.

She told CNA that witnessing the driver's medical distress had made her feel "very sad" afterward. The first thing she did when she got home: "Hug my ah gong and my ah ma," she said, referring to her grandfather and grandmother.

"I went to give them a big hug, then we went out for a meal."