Bus operators need to be mindful on the safety of elderly bus passengers

10^th March 2019

 

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan

Acting Minister of Transport

 

Dear Dr Vivian Balakrishnan,

 

Many of elderly bus passengers are struggling to cope with mobility problems, and fair number of these seniors use quad sticks to aid them in walking and climbing up staircases and buses. These citizens are mostly in the lower income bracket and thus can’t afford to take taxis.

While it is commendable that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is planning to build bigger bus seats and have apps to allow passengers to be kept informed of bus arrivals to improve bus journeys, the number 1 priority should be the safety of passengers – especially our elderly commuters.

Yesterday, Saturday 9^th March 2019, while travelling on Transland Bus service 855 at around 7.30pm, an elderly lady neighbour of mine who lives on the 7^th floor of my block had so much difficulty getting down the bus as the bus captain did not stop at the bus stop nearer the kerb opposite the condominium at Calrose Garden in Yio Chu Kang Road, near Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5.

Frightened, she sat on the last step of the bus staircase and gradually move out of the bus, with many commuters shaking their heads in disappointment.

This issue of bus captains refusing to stop near the kerbs has been raised a few times by forum letter writers to the press, and I was one of them.

You cannot expect seniors with mobility problems to jump or leap frog from the bus as they will end up in hospital, and add to the already loaded wards.

Health Minister rightly pointed out that the rate of growth in health care spending is unsustainable and that the most effective way to keep healthcare affordable is for everyone to stay healthy.

But how can our seniors stay healthy when bus operators disregard the safety of this group of bus passengers?

There are endless road accidents on the road leaving the injured landing in hospitals or in the worst-case scenario, they die.

Motorists at the venue I mentioned are driving at break-neck speed despite advisory signs telling them to slow down. This blatant disregard for human life needs strict surveillance and enforcement and the LTA should check on this to save lives.

Compared to other countries, like the Philippines or Thailand, our public transport system is pretty good, but we can always work towards further improvements.   

That said, I must highlight that some bus captains show much care and concern to our seniors; one of whom is Senior Bus Captain Low Kok Sun, a Malaysian, who drives SBS Transit service 163. He will wait patiently for elderly citizens when he sees them from afar and will always stops very close to the kerb.

Another Senior Malay driver, a Singaporean whose name I have not secured provides the same level of ‘customer delight service’   These bus captains can be mentors to the drivers who are ‘not in tune’ with elderly issues.

At the end of the day, the government must not only welcome feedback before it escalates into complaints and encourage government agencies to have better collaborations; who in this case are the Ministry of Transport, LTA and MOH.

I appreciate a reply from you, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan given that you are the Acting Minister of Transport.

 

Thank you and have a nice day.

 

Sincerely,

Raymond Anthony Fernando

Raymond A Fernando <raybeacon@gmail.com>	8:45 AM (2 hours ago)
to v.bala, Baey_Yam_Keng, gan_kim_yong, amy_khor, lee_hsien_loong, goh_chok_tong, edwin_tong

Since I wrote to you 11 days   ago, I have not yet received a reply. Despite your busy schedule, Dr Vivian, it’s I trust you can at least let me have an interim reply coz I’m unclear if you have indeed received my feedback.  Hence, my 2^nd email. It is important to keep the communication lines open so that we know that our feedback is taken seriously.

I look forward to you support.

 

Thank you.

Sincerely,

 

Raymond Anthony Fernando

Just got a reply from Dr Vivian Balakrishan , MFA Minister & Acting Transport Minister on my report on the safety of elderly citizens who are falling down from buses as the drivers do not stop near the kerb.
"Dear Mr Fernando,
I am sorry I did not get your earlier email. Totally agree that bus operators need to be mindful of the safety of senior citizen passengers.I will request LTA to investigate and keep us all informed.
...

Best wishes for your health.

Dated:  Friday 22nd March 2019


Reply from LTA:
Dear Mr Raymond Anthony Fernando

Bus operators need to be mindful on the safety of elderly bus passengers_EM/19/Mar/00794
FEEDBACK NUMBER: 20190322-0256

We received your email of 22 March 2019.

We would like to thank you for sharing your observations with us on your bus journey.

We wish to share that bus operational matters are managed by the bus operators and we will constantly remind the operators to speak to their bus captains to improve bus operations.

Regarding your feedback that the bus captain of Service 855 did not stop at the bus stop nearer the kerb the condominium at Calrose Garden in Yio Chu Kang Road, near Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, we have shared it with SMRT for their review. However, we did not share your contact details with them. Should you wish to follow up on this matter, you may contact them at customer_relations@smrt.com.sg.

For your compliment to the bus captain of Service 163, we have helped to convey your kind words to SBS Transit (SBST). Your compliment will be a great encouragement for our operators in their continuous journey towards service excellence. Should you wish to contact SBST directly, you may email to them at crc@sbstransit.com.sg.

As driving behaviour matters (such as speeding) are regulated by the Traffic Police (TP) under the Singapore Police Force (SPF), by copy of this email, we are sharing your feedback with TP for their advice to you on the appropriate action(s) to be taken. Should you require assistance from TP, you can write in directly to them at SPF_TP_Feedback@spf.gov.sg.

Thank you for writing in and wish you a pleasant day ahead.


Yours sincerely


Winnie Wong (Ms)
Assistant Manager
Service Quality Division