An Inclusive Public Transport System
Public transport is about connecting people to places. Ramps, lifts, tactile guiding system and barrier-free features ensure that all commuters, including the elderly, persons with disabilities and families travelling with young children, can use public transport to get around more independently.
These features together with a caring and gracious commuting culture, make journeys not just accessible but also enjoyable.
Improving Access for Everyone
Open strollers, wheelchairs and other Personal Mobility Aids (PMAs)* such as mobility scooters for the elderly are allowed on board public buses and MRT/LRT trains.
On public buses, there are stroller restraints for parents to strap down strollers for a safer and more pleasant ride. As of 1 Dec 2020, all public buses are wheelchair, stroller and PMA accessible.
* PMAs are devices that provide mobility to people who have difficulties walking. They differ from Personal Mobility Devices, which include kick-scooters, electric scooters, electric unicycles and electric hoverboards.
Tips When Using an Open Stroller, Wheelchair or PMA on Public Transport
Size and Weight
Ensure your open stroller, wheelchair or PMA does not exceed 120cm in length and 70cm in width. Wheelchairs or PMAs must not exceed a total laden weight of 300kg.
Boarding and Alighting Safely
Passengers in wheelchairs or PMAs can board and alight at bus stops that are barrier-free. 98% of our bus stops are barrier-free.
Some bus stops, such as those at five foot ways, may not be barrier-free. For safety reasons, do not board or alight at such bus stops when in a wheelchair or using a PMA.
Look for the signage on the bus pole at bus stops to check if the bus stop is barrier-free.
100% of our MRT stations in Singapore are barrier-free. To make it even safer, wherever possible, there are rubber gap fillers between trains and platforms to reduce the risk of commuters in wheelchairs, PMAs or with strollers slipping into or getting caught in the gaps.
Station staff and service ambassadors also proactively offer assistance to commuters. If you need help with your wheelchair, PMA or stroller, you can approach them or head to the Passenger Service Centres.
Front-Boarding for Prams and Rear-Boarding for Wheelchairs and PMAs
When boarding buses, strollers should enter from the front door. If your stroller is too large, please ask the bus captain for assistance. The bus captain will help to facilitate your payment of fare at the rear door.
Passengers using wheelchairs or PMAs should wait for the bus captain to deploy the ramp at the rear door and assist them in boarding.
Enjoying Your Ride
Use the designated space for wheelchairs, PMAs and open strollers to keep the aisles, stairways, entries and exits unobstructed.
Position your wheelchair, PMA and open stroller to face the rear of the bus. Secure your stroller with the restraints and engage the brakes. When using a wheelchair or PMA, engage the brakes and hold onto the handrails.
More Barrier-Free Access at Taxi Facilities
To make transport accessible to more, especially those in wheelchairs and PMAs, LTA is systematically reviewing our existing taxi stops and stands; and making them barrier-free where possible. All taxi facilities constructed after 2008 are barrier-free.
Hands-Free Ticketing for Those with Mobility Challenges
Those with limited mobility like the elderly and disabled will soon be able to go through ticketing gantries on MRTs and buses without having to tap their cards. The technology, trialled between June 2018 and May 2019 at selected rail stations and buses, will be trialled at more locations.
Braille and Tactile for Better Wayfinding
From Thomson-East Coast Line onwards, transiting on MRT system is made easier for the visually impaired with the provision of braille and embossed room name on signage for Male, Female and Accessible toilets. Braille and embossed text are also provided on the handrails for public staircases and ramps to aid wayfinding.
Hearing Enhancement System at the Passenger Service Centre
Hearing Enhancement System (HES) has been installed at the Passenger Service Centre of all Thomson-East Coast Line MRT stations. This feature will also be available in all future MRT stations. The HES helps commuters wearing hearing aids to communicate effectively with the station service staff at the Passenger Service Centre.
Looking Out for Other Commuters
Stickers for Commuters with Invisible Conditions
From 1 Oct 2019 to 31 Mar 2021, commuters with invisible medical conditions may obtain a sticker to alert fellow commuters of their condition which requires them to have a seat.
This pilot is aimed to make rides more accessible and enjoyable for those with invisible medical conditions such as chronic pain arthritis which prevent them for standing for prolonged hours.
Stickers can be obtained from the Passenger Service Centres at MRT stations, Bus Interchanges or TransitLink Ticket Offices. To play a part in gracious commuting, if you are able, give up your seat to those with the sticker. Likewise, when a fellow commuter gives up their seat for you, show your appreciation.
If you have obtained a sticker, we would greatly appreciate if you could share your experience by completing this short survey.
Priority for Those in Need
To remind commuters to give way to those in need, priority use signs have been installed at lifts, platform screen doors and designated queue zones at all MRT/LRT stations and bus interchanges. This initiative aims to improve the ride experience for the elderly, less mobile and families travelling with young children.
Commuters are encouraged to keep a lookout for the priority use signs and give way or offer help to the vulnerable commuters. Together we can make rides smoother and safer for all commuters and make our public transport system more inclusive.
Priority Queues for Boarding
Priority will be given to the elderly, expectant mothers, families with strollers and passengers in wheelchairs or PMAs for boarding.
Wait at the Priority Queue zones next to the queues at bus interchanges and MRT/LRT stations.
If the designated wheelchair space on the bus is already occupied or if the bus is very crowded, strollers will have to be folded and taken on board. PMA users may wait for the next wheelchair-accessible bus with available space.
By 2021, all bus interchanges will feature Priority Queue zones. These designated zones will be located next to boarding berths and fitted with seats for commuters to rest.
Priority Seats
As of 2018, new public buses rolled out have designated Priority Seats which are those from the entrance to the first row after the first exit door.
Making Commuting More Enjoyable
More Ergonomic Elder-Friendly Seats
Elderly commuters can look forward to elderly-friendly seats at bus stops, taxi shelters and MRT stations.
Designed with the elderly in mind, the ergonomic seats at bus stops and taxi shelters feature armrests which commuters can use to sit and get up with greater ease. These seats will replace the current narrow, high bum rests.
Platform seats in newly opened MRT stations along the Thomson-East Coast Line, likewise, have backrests and armrests. The colour of these seats was deliberately selected to contrast with the surroundings to increase visibility of the seats and help to prevent accidents or falls.
As our population ages, this elder-friendly initiative will cater to and support the growing needs of our ageing population.
Convenient Family-Friendly Facilities
To make commuting more convenient for parents, bus interchanges from 2020 onwards will have family-friendly facilities such as nursing rooms, hot water dispensers, diaper changing stations and child wash basins. Similar facilities and family toilets fitted with adult and child sanitary ware, can also be found in interchange stations on the Thomson-East Coast Line.
More Ways to Receive Public Announcements
During peak hour, the background noise levels are higher and affects the ability of commuters to hear public announcements. With in-train display messages and signage strategically placed, commuters will now be able to read the public announcements when the noise level is higher.
