Q3. Can bus drivers refuse passengers boarding buses?
Yes. Bus drivers may refuse the following persons boarding buses :-
- person whom the bus driver has reasonable grounds to believe that has committed or is about to commit an offence against the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374D): see Regulation 56(1) of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374D);
- person whom is in a dirty condition: see Regulation 10(2)(d) of the Public Bus Services Regulations (Cap. 230A);
- person whom the bus driver has reasonable cause to believe to be intoxicated, mentally unbalanced or suffering from an infectious or contagious disease: see Regulation 10(2)(e) of the Public Bus Services Regulations (Cap. 230A);
- person whom the bus driver has reasonable cause to believe is carrying goods of a dangerous or offensive nature: see Regulation 10(2)(f) of Public Bus Services Regulations (Cap. 230A).
No person shall having been refused entry enter the vehicle: see Regulation 56(2)(a) of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374D).
Any person who without reasonable excuse contravenes Regulation 56(2) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of $2,000: see Regulation 57(2) of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374D).
However, in other circumstances, bus drivers shall not neglect or refuse to admit and to carry at the lawful fare any passenger or intending passenger who can be accommodated without exceeding the authorized capacity of the bus and to whose admission no reasonable objection is made: see Regulation 10(2)(a) of the Public Bus Services Regulations (Cap. 230A).