ComfortDelgro caught lying ........... so wat else did they lie abt, their 'losses' to justify fare hike ?????!?!?!?!
Why the confusion now?
TODAY
Use of decal only after a service is declared WAB was confirmed by authorities
Friday • October 3, 2008
Letter from Dr Ow Chee Chung
Executive Director
Society for the Physically Disabled
Leslie Teo
Executive Director
Handicaps Welfare Association
WE REFER to “Wheelchair friendly — but sorry, you can’t board” (Oct 2).
Since the implementation of the wheelchair accessible bus (WAB), there has been feedback from wheelchair-users and commuters in general on WAB services. Concerns and feedback raised by commuters to the Handicaps Welfare Association (HWA) and Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) have been channelled accordingly to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SBS Transit through informal meetings and via email.
Specific to the issue raised on the display of the wheelchair-friendly decal to differentiate WAB services from the normal services, we fully agree with SBS Transit that it is not safe to allow wheelchair-users to board the bus if the route or service has not been declared wheelchair-accessible.
However, the use of the decal as a policy was discussed from the planning stage. It was then proposed that, to avoid confusion to the commuters, the decal will be displayed only after the service is declared as a WAB service. This discussion was led by the LTA with the presence of SBS Transit, HWA and SPD. This was subsequently followed by an email from SBS Transit confirming this operational policy implementation.
With the email affirmation, HWA and SPD had proceeded to inform our clients and members about the new initiative. It is also with this operational understanding that the LTA has engaged another bus operator to roll out WAB services based on a similar operational policy in the use of the decal.
Thus, we find the comments from SBS Transit and the LTA in the article confusing given the disregard to the original discussion and agreement.
With plans underway to replace the entire bus fleet with WABs by 2020, and another bus operator starting WAB services by the end of this year, we urge the authorities to make clear the policies for the benefit of wheelchair-users.
We also believe that there should be a formal and structured workgroup set up with proper terms of reference to better coordinate the needs of users and the capability and resources of providers. It is about time that a formal committee be formed given the greying population and more people using public transportation. The committee should be representative of different special needs users besides wheelchair-users.
Such a move will be consistent with Singapore’s push for an inclusive society, a direction which most government agencies are taking in their policy implementation. An example is the Building and Construction Authority and the Urban Redevelopment Authority, which have now incorporated universal design to ensure accessibility for all people with mobility access challenges, including the elderly and caregivers with children in strollers and prams.
Both HWA and SPD have conveyed to the LTA the urgent need to set up such a formal committee (representing the needs of diverse commuters) to review and evaluate WAB services.
Moving forward, we will continue to work in close partnership with the LTA, the bus operators and voluntary welfare organisations to ensure a more effective and efficient roll out of WAB services.
$$$$$$$$$$$
Wheelchair friendly –but sorry, you can’t board
TODAY
Thursday • October 2, 2008
ESTHER NG
[email protected]
THE message of the little blue sticker seems obvious: We’re a wheelchair-friendly bus. But, as disabled commuters have found out the hard way, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re welcome aboard.
Mr Lee Jun Hui (picture), flagged down SBS ServiceNo 57 outside One Raffles Quay three weeks ago. Though the decal declaring it a wheelchairaccessible bus (WAB) was displayed on the windscreen, the driver refused to let him on.
“He said he was not authorised to do so. I’d understand if the bus was crowded, but it wasn’t,” said the puzzled 27-year-old, who works as an auditor at KPMG.
To ensure this was no fluke, Mr Lee, in the company of this Today reporter, recently tried to board services 128 and 130 at Robinson Road after 6.20pm. The drivers of all four buses were apologetic.
Despite displaying the blue decal, they told him they did not have approval from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SBS Transit to ferry wheelchair-users.
Nonetheless, 20 minutes later at Cecil Street, he flagged down service 57. The bus driver got down, laid the ramp on the kerb and wheeled Mr Lee aboard. At Novena, Mr Lee alighted and went the rest of the way home by train – as confused as ever about WAB services.
While there are just 16 official WAB routes, buses on other service routes, such as the three above, do also carry the wheelchair-friendly decal.
“I wished the authorities would be more consistent,” said Mr Lee. “What’s the point of displaying the decal when the bus drivers are not authorised to take users like myself? It gives the wrong impression that there are many more WABs on the roads, when effectively, there aren’t.”
He is not the only one confounded. In June, student Thomas Teo, 19, faced similar rejection by service 14 – in this case, one of the 16 approved WAB routes – at a Lower Delta Road bus stop.
“I was very upset. That experience put me off totally; I prefer to use the MRT,” said Mr Teo.
SUBHD: SBS TRANSIT’S EXPLANATION
Their frustrations follow expectations that were heightened when it was announced, earlier this year, that 40 per cent of public buses here would be wheelchair-accessible by 2010, and all of them by 2020.
Recently, SBS Transit revealed it is spending $147 million on 400 new WABs next year, which would come with low floors, wheelchair lots and retractable ramps at the doors. A quarter of SBS’ 2,800-strong fleet now has such features.
Said Ms Tammy Tan, SBS Transit’s vice president of corporate communications: “Although we only have 16 WAB services, we have many more wheelchair-accessible buses that ply the roads on other routes.”
She added: “Not all routes can be designated WAB routes because of the infrastructure along the way.”
For one to be so designated, 80 per cent of the bus stops along the route must be wheelchair-friendly, or such passengers would have difficulties getting on, off or around the bus-stop.
For these passengers’ safety, said Ms Tan, “bus captains will not allow them to board if they are not plying wheelchair-accessible routes. This was what happened in the incidents cited by Mr Lee.”
As for the bus captain of Service 57 who allowed him on board, SBS Transit said this was “actually not allowed due to safety reasons and will remind all Bus Captains to comply with guidelines”.
Still, Mr Lee’s point is: If the buses are not on designated WAB routes, why display the wheelchair-friendly sticker in the first place?
SBS Transit said this was “for deployment issues”. It is “reviewing what can be done to distinguish” WABs on designated routes from those that are not.
Introduced in 2006, WAB services are gradually: replacing existing fleets. The LTA said: “These services are rolled out by bus operators based on the available pool of WABs and are subject to scheduling and operational considerations.”
BOX:
The 16 wheelchair accessible routes:
Service 2, 7,12, 14, 21, 51, 72, 76, 80, 123, 143, 147, 174, 185, 196 and 198
