LTA defends MRT rules after father questions SMRT gantry procedure for toddler handover

SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has responded to public discussion surrounding a Singaporean father's complaint about an MRT gantry procedure that required him to tap out before handing his toddler to a caregiver.

The response follows an open letter published on 9 June 2026 by Daniel Chow, who questioned whether parents should be required to incur additional transport charges when transferring young children to family caregivers at MRT stations.

Chow addressed the letter to Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow after a dispute with an SMRT station manager over the use of a side gate at an MRT station.

LTA acknowledges parent's frustration

In a Facebook post published on 12 June 2026, LTA said it was aware of the online discussion surrounding the incident.

"There has been some online discussion about a commuter who was stopped from handing his toddler to a caregiver at an MRT gantry without tapping through the fare gates," the authority stated.

"We understand the commuter's frustration – managing work, childcare, and a young child on the move isn't easy."

The authority nevertheless defended the existence of MRT regulations.

"There are rules and regulations on the MRT for reasons such as safety, security, passenger comfort, fairness, etc. Our public transport workers apply these rules judiciously and with compassion."

LTA said frontline transport staff routinely exercise discretion when applying such rules.

It cited examples including situations where children, elderly passengers or commuters with medical conditions may need to drink water despite restrictions on eating and drinking aboard trains.

"Similarly, our public transport workers have been assisting families by applying the rules with kindness most of the time and opening the fare gate to facilitate such transfers."

Authority defends station staff

LTA also addressed criticism directed at SMRT staff following the incident.

"Specific to the recent online discussions, SMRT had sought to engage the commuter to explain, but the commuter had chosen not to respond despite making a public post, and suggesting that the SMRT station staff were unhelpful, which was not the case."

The authority added that eligible children can apply for a Child Concession Card, allowing them to tap in and out of stations free of charge.

However, LTA did not specifically state whether a formal written rule exists requiring commuters to tap out when handing a child or pram to a caregiver outside the fare gates.

Neither did the authority identify a specific policy governing when fare gates should be opened for child handovers.

The Online Citizen has since written to LTA seeking further clarification on whether commuters are required to tap out and incur an additional fare when passing a child to a caregiver across an MRT fare gate.

We also asked whether station staff opening fare gates for such transfers is an officially sanctioned practice under existing LTA and SMRT rules, or merely a discretionary accommodation that may vary between staff members.

Family travel resources cited

Alongside its response, LTA directed readers to existing resources on travelling with children on Singapore's public transport network.

Among them was a July 2022 blog post, which highlights facilities and measures intended to make public transport easier for families, including family-friendly toilets, baby care rooms, priority queues, barrier-free routes, lifts, stroller access on buses and Child Concession Cards.

Parents travelling with strollers are encouraged to use priority facilities, including wide fare gates and lifts.

The guide also notes that all MRT stations provide at least one barrier-free route for commuters with strollers.

However, the guide does not specifically mention any guideline or procedure governing the opening of fare gates to facilitate child handovers between adults.

Father questions procedure

The issue originated from a childcare arrangement Chow said his family had used periodically since around October 2025.

When both he and his wife were required to work on Saturday mornings, he would travel by MRT and hand his daughter to his mother-in-law for babysitting.

According to Chow, station staff would typically open a side gate to allow him to transfer the child in her pram.

"All staff would happily support my request, except for one," he wrote.

Chow alleged that a station manager repeatedly insisted he tap out, hand the child to his mother-in-law and then tap back into the paid area.

"The station manager would ALWAYS insist I tap the card, pay S$2, pass the baby to my in-law and then tap back in."

He said the manager cited security concerns when challenged.

"Manager: Bro, this is for security."

Chow questioned the rationale behind the requirement.

"So if we pay S$2 to tap out, it will be safer?"

In his letter, Chow linked the issue to broader concerns about family costs and Singapore's declining fertility rate.

"Is there really such a rule that parents need to tap out to pass our babies to our parents and then waste S$2 tapping back in?" he wrote.

"If yes, can we please remove it?"

He added that he understood staff were required to follow procedures but questioned whether the current approach was the most practical one.

"My question is whether the current procedure is the most sensible one."

Public reactions and SMRT response

The incident attracted discussion online, including comments from former independent candidate in the 2025 General Election Darryl Lo.

"Don't see why they can't be flexible for this reason, nor do I understand what the security concern is," Lo wrote.

According to local media outlet Mothership, SMRT contacted Chow via Instagram on 10 June 2026 and offered to arrange a discussion with its head of community engagement.

Chow later told Mothership that he did not intend to participate, saying he did not believe such a discussion would be helpful.

Instead, he said he hoped the issue would encourage people "to be more empathetic and think critically about unnecessary rules".

In response to media queries, an SMRT spokesperson said the company understood Chow's concerns and had spoken with staff regarding circumstances in which discretion could be exercised.

The spokesperson added that the majority of station employees had exercised such discretion in this case.