LTA :: Corp Info - Publications

In light of the H1N1 outbreak in several countries, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is working closely with the respective public transport operators, taxi companies and the Taxi Operators' Association to put in place precautionary measures in our public transport system. Some of the measures in place include stepping up the cleaning and disinfecting of buses, trains and taxis. Taxi drivers are also advised to issue receipts to all passengers to facilitate contact tracing if necessary.

There is no need for commuters to avoid travelling on public transport. The LTA is monitoring the situation closely and working with the relevant authorities to review and step up measures if necessary.

The Ministry of Health advises the public to adopt good hygiene practices. Those with flu-like symptoms should wear a mask and seek medical attention promptly. They should also disclose their travel histories to their doctors.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is it safe to use public transport? What measures are in place to reduce the risk of spread in the public transport network, especially when the trains and buses are crowded during peak hours?

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is working closely with the public transport operators (PTOs), taxi companies and the Taxi Operators' Associations on measures to make the public transport system and taxis as safe as possible, as well as to reduce the spread of the H1N1 virus. There is no need for commuters to avoid travelling on public transport or by taxis if they are well.

The transport operators SBST and SMRT have stepped up the cleaning, disinfecting and ventilating of their premises, including common areas of bus interchanges / terminals, MRT / LRT stations, buses and trains. Taxi drivers have also been advised to clean and disinfect their taxis more frequently, ventilate their taxis between trips, and to seek the consent of passengers who are ill to wind down the windows during the trip.

Commuters also have an important part to play by being socially responsible by adhering to MOH’s advice on maintaining high standards of personal hygiene and to refrain from travelling on public transport when they are unwell. If one is unwell he / she should consult a doctor. If there is a need to travel to see a doctor, the preference should be to take private transport and to wear a surgical mask while in transit.

As far as is possible, commuters should also plan their journeys so as to avoid travelling during peak hours when the buses and trains are more crowded.

The LTA and the public transport operators will continue to monitor the situation closely and take additional measures if necessary and / or advised by MOH, so that we can help to slow the spread of the H1N1 virus in the community.

Given the spread of H1N1 locally, will the public transport operators be increasing the frequency of buses and trains so that these will not be so crowded during peak hours?

The public transport operators (PTOs) are already operating at maximum capacity during peak periods. With the spread of the H1N1 virus locally, more of the operators’ frontline staff, such as bus and train drivers; essential personnel, such as control room and maintenance staff, may be infected and hence absent from work. This will affect their ability to maintain current service levels. Hence, the operators are focusing their efforts on maintaining current peak hour bus and train service levels for as long as is possible.

Has the Government issued guidelines to the public transport operators to deal with the H1N1 situation? Will these guidelines change as the spread of H1N1 becomes more localised?

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is working closely with the public transport operators (PTOs), taxi companies and the Taxi Operators' Associations on measures to make the public transport system and taxis as safe as possible and to safeguard the interest of commuters, drivers, and frontline staff. The PTOs and taxi companies have implemented the precautionary measures recommended by MOH in their advisories, such as:

a)	More frequent cleaning and disinfecting of public transport premises, including common areas of bus interchanges / terminals and MRT / LRT stations, buses, trains and taxis;

b)	Increase ventilation of trains, buses and taxis;

c)	Providing regular updates to their staff and taxi drivers on the H1N1 situation and advise them to:
	i)	Avoid crowded areas and practice high standard of personal hygiene;
	ii)	Not to work but seek medical treatment immediately if they develop any flu-like symptoms;

d)	Prepared to issue Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as masks / gloves to frontline staff and drivers, if required; and

e)	Daily temperature screening of bus / train drivers and frontline staff before they go on duty (and advised taxi drivers to similarly check their temperatures before driving and not to drive if they are unwell with fever, cough or sore throat).

What will be done if a passenger falls sick on the bus / train? In the interest of other passengers, can bus / taxi drivers refuse to allow an ill-looking passenger to board the bus / taxi?

The public should exercise social responsibility and not take public transport if ill or wear a mask if this is unavoidable.

Passengers who are sick when on board the MRT / LRT can call the Operations Control Centre (OCC) who will assess the situation. If necessary, the sick passenger will be advised to go to a Pandemic Preparedness Clinic (PPC) or a polyclinic. If a passenger is sick on board a bus, the bus driver will assess the situation and contact its OCC. If necessary, the sick passenger will be advised to go to a PPC or polyclinic.

What precautions does one need to take when travelling on public transport to minimise the risk of being infected?

Commuters are advised to stay vigilant and to take flu symptoms seriously by staying away from others and not travel on public transport when they are unwell. Commuters should observe good personal hygiene practices at all times, such as washing their hands and taking similar precautions as they would when they are in public places. They should cover their nose / mouth when sneezing / coughing and not touch their face / nose after contact with common surfaces (such as handrails and hand-straps on buses / trains).

Those who are unwell should wear a mask to reduce the risk of infecting others. All commuters planning to take public transport should check their own temperature before setting off from their homes on any public journey and to wear masks if they are in doubt. If possible, commuters should plan their schedules so as to travel during the off-peak periods when our buses and trains are less crowded.

Have the taxi companies put in place precautionary measures to ensure that the risk of infection to their drivers is minimised? Are there special guidelines in place for taxis, buses and trains serving areas such as the hospitals and airport terminals?

The taxi companies and the Taxi Operator Associations (TOA) update taxi drivers regularly on the Influenza A (H1N1) situation. Taxi drivers are advised to practice high standards of personal hygiene and to seek immediate medical attention if they develop flu-like symptoms. To reduce the risk of flu transmission, taxi drivers are encouraged to clean and ventilate their taxis frequently. They are advised to also issue receipts to all passengers and advise them to retain the receipts to facilitate contact tracing if necessary. The taxi companies will issue Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to their drivers if required.

There is no special guideline for public transport serving hospitals and airport terminals. Once H1N1 is in the community, it is no longer useful to single out specific areas as high risk. At hospitals, discharged patients with residual illness will be wearing masks and taxi drivers can reduce the risk by winding down the windows during the trip and ventilating the taxi thereafter before picking up another passenger.

With the outbreak of the H1N1 virus, have taxi drivers started avoiding the airport and hospitals to pick up passengers? What is being done to address this situation?

As a preventive measure, Changi Airport has implemented thermal screening for all arriving passengers. Nevertheless, taxi drivers who frequent the airport are advised to seek passengers’ consent to wind down the window during the trip if the passenger appears unwell, to ventilate or clean / disinfect the taxi after each trip, and to seek immediate medical attention if they develop flu-like symptoms.

In the event that a taxi driver is served with a Home Quarantine Order or hospitalised for H1N1, the Taxi Operators Association (TOA) had worked with the taxi companies to waive taxi rentals during the quarantine / hospitalisation period. The taxi companies will also pay for the medical expenses of affected taxi drivers.