What would you do if you saw someone in need of help while taking public transport? Would you step forward, or wait and see, hoping someone else would take action?
For Siti Rabi’ah Bte Mohamad Yazid, winner of the Richard Magnus Award for the Outstanding Caring Commuter, the choice was clear when she noticed an elderly woman fall down at a bus interchange.
She didn’t just stand by — she stepped up to help, even if it meant missing a few of her buses.
Similarly, a group of students from Pasir Ris Crest Secondary School (PRCSS) didn’t look the other way when they spotted an elderly man who seemed confused and injured at Pasir Ris Bus Interchange.
Both Siti and the students were recognised with the Caring Commuter Award for their acts of care and quick actions. And they’re not alone.
This year, 10 individuals have been honoured with the Caring Commuter Award, recognising their efforts to help those in need during their daily commutes across our little red dot. Read on for their inspiring stories.
On 5 Jan, Siti was waiting for her bus at Bukit Merah Bus Interchange when she noticed an elderly woman, who appeared to be in her 70s, had fallen. She immediately jumped to the elderly woman’s aid and began comforting her.
Image courtesy of Siti Rabi’ah Bte Mohamad Yazid
The elderly woman was conscious but evidently in pain. The scene quickly drew attention from other commuters, who also tried to help as interchange staff were notified and called an ambulance.
Throughout it all, Siti stayed by the elderly woman’s side, missing several of her buses in the process.
When the ambulance arrived, she even accompanied the senior to the hospital, leaving only when the nurses assured her that she could leave.
For her selfless act, Siti received the Richard Magnus Award for the Outstanding Caring Commuter by the Caring SG Commuters Committee.
In another remarkable case, six PRCSS students stepped up to assist an elderly man in distress.
Image courtesy of Pasir Ris Crest Secondary School students
Aiden Koo Zheng Tze, Choy Hong Wei Jarren, Clara Lee Xuan Le, Lai Siu Pak, Suhela Kaur Bhasin, and Quek ZiJun, Elrick were at Pasir Ris Bus Interchange one July evening when they noticed the man appearing lost and confused, with what seemed to be dried blood on his face and legs.
Without hesitation, they approached staff at the Passenger Service Centre (PSC) to report the situation.
Following the staff’s guidance, the students helped the elderly man to a chair near the PSC and attempted to contact a phone number he provided, but the call didn’t go through.
The staff later decided to call an ambulance and inform TransCom. While waiting, the students stayed by the man’s side, keeping him company and refilling his water bottle.
They remained with him until paramedics arrived to provide further care.
Nurasyikin Binte Jamaludin was heading out for a meal break on 26 March when she saw an elderly man trip and fall while crossing the road with his young grandson near Sengkang Bus Interchange. They appeared to be rushing for a bus.
Image courtesy of Nurasyikin Binte Jamaludin
Nurasyikin quickly went over, ensuring the grandson was safe by her side, and asked him to stay put while she attended to his grandfather.
Overcoming both their language barrier and the elderly man’s state of shock, she managed to help him into a sitting position. However, when she noticed a cut on his eyebrow bleeding, she called out for help.
A bus captain who was nearby stopped to check on the situation before seeking further help from his colleague, while Nurasyikin took the blanket that the elderly man’s grandson was holding on to apply pressure to the elderly man’s wound.
The bus captain soon returned with an interchange staff, who communicated with the elderly man in Mandarin and managed to contact his daughter-in-law.
Paramedics arrived shortly after, and Nurasyikin briefed them on the situation, ensuring they were aware the man was accompanied by his grandson.
Meanwhile, one of the boy’s teachers arrived to escort him to school. Only then did Nurasyikin head off for her well-deserved break.
On 8 April, Tan Chee Keong (Calvin) was on a crowded train when he heard a woman say she felt faint.
Although he could barely see her, Calvin quickly asked passengers to make space for the woman to breathe and sit down while he pressed the emergency stop button and alerted the station staff.
Image courtesy of Tan Chee Keong (Calvin)
The train stopped at Holland Village MRT Station, where commuters helped the woman off.
As Calvin disembarked, he saw the woman on the floor. Concerned, he cleared space around her, stayed by her side, and offered her water, which helped her feel a bit better.
Soon after, nurse See Li Ling stepped in to assist, taking the woman’s pulse and trying to help her regain her consciousness.
Image courtesy of See Li Ling
Based on her assessment, Li Ling suspected the woman was suffering from low blood pressure. She applied her own medical ointment to the woman’s forehead and neck, then massaged her limbs to improve blood flow.
A doctor and a medical student soon joined the effort. Seeing that the woman was in capable hands, Calvin stepped back and resumed his journey to work.
Li Ling remained with the woman until paramedics arrived and took her to the National University Hospital.
While it’s easy to hesitate in challenging situations, these 10 remarkable individuals chose to step forward instead. The Caring Commuter Award winners sacrificed their comfort and time to help total strangers, illustrating how individual actions can positively impact our public transport community.
Their stories remind us that being a caring commuter doesn’t mean doing something grand — sometimes, it’s just about being willing to be there when someone needs help. And if we all did that, imagine what a real difference it could make in our daily commutes.
The Caring Commuter Award was launched in 2019 to acknowledge those thoughtful acts by commuters and inspire others to step up when help is needed.
To learn more about the Caring SG Commuters movement and to read more inspiring stories like these, visit the online portal here.
Also read: Commuter Collapses At Canberra MRT Station, 2 Strangers Help Save His Life
This post was brought to you in collaboration with the Public Transport Council, in support of the Caring SG Commuters movement.
Featured image courtesy of the Pasir Ris Crest Secondary School students and Wikimedia Commons, for illustration purposes only.
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