An Inclusive Public Transport System
Public transport is about connecting people to places safely and efficiently. Ramps, lifts, and barrier-free features such as our tactile guiding system 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 accessible and 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, parents can use the stroller restraints 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. The wheelchair or PMA shall also not exceed 150cm in height (measured from the floor to the top of the PMA or the user’s head when seated on PMA, whichever is higher); and the total weight of the wheelchair or PMA together with the user shall not exceed 300kg.
Boarding and Alighting Safely
Commuters in wheelchairs or on 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, approach them or head to the Passenger Service Centres.
Front-Boarding for Strollers 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 with boarding. The bus captain will facilitate your fare payment at the rear door.
Commuters 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.
Secure your stroller with the restraints and engage the brakes. When using a wheelchair or PMA, engage the brakes and position your wheelchair or PMA facing the rear of the bus. The passenger in a wheelchair or PMA shall hold on to the handrails for your own safety.
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 such as the elderly and disabled will soon be able to pass through ticketing gantries on MRTs and buses without having to tap their fare cards. Following a previous trial in 2019, LTA is currently conducting more studies and testing on the Hands-free Ticketing Solution to provide a seamless experience for these commuters.
Braille and Tactile for Better Wayfinding
Starting from Thomson-East Coast Line MRT stations, transiting on the MRT system is easier for the visually impaired with the provision of braille and embossed text on the handrails of public staircases and ramps to aid wayfinding. Signage for public toilets are also provided with braille and embossed text for easy identification.
Hearing Enhancement System at the Passenger Service Centre
The Hearing Enhancement System (HES) has been installed at the Passenger Service Centres in all Thomson-East Coast Line MRT stations, and will be available in all future MRT stations. It helps commuters who wear hearing aids to communicate effectively with station service staff at the Passenger Service Centres.
Looking Out for Other Commuters
"May I have a seat please" initiative
From 26 Apr 2021, commuters may obtain a “May I have a seat please” sticker, or lanyard & card, to alert fellow commuters that they require a seat. The sticker is for people with short term conditions (such as those on 1 day of medical leave), while the lanyard & card is for people with long-term conditions such as those recovering from a stroke. The sticker or the lanyard & card can be obtained from Passenger Service Centres at MRT stations, bus interchanges or TransitLink Ticket Offices.
The lanyard & card initiative follows positive feedback from LTA’s pilot of the “May I have a seat please” sticker, as well as Go-Ahead Singapore’s trial of the Helping Hand initiative. The lanyard designs were adapted from artwork by commuters with disabilities or special needs through an art competition jointly organised by LTA and a youth group, the Movement of Inclusivity.
This initiative aims to make rides more enjoyable for those with invisible medical conditions such as chronic pain arthritis preventing them from standing for prolonged hours.
We hope that commuters can look out for each other and give up their seats to those with stickers or the lanyard & card. Likewise, for commuters receiving the seat, showing appreciation will encourage others to be more gracious and caring.
For commuters who have obtained a sticker or lanyard & card, share your experience with us by completing this survey.
Caring Commuter Champion
Sign Up as A Caring Commuter Champion
Caring Commuter Champions is a Volunteer Corps initiated by the Caring SG Commuters Committee. It is chaired by the Public Transport Council (PTC) and supported by key industry partners including the Land Transport Authority. The Caring Commuter Champion initiative encourages commuters to step up and show care and assistance to others in need during their daily commute on the public transport network.
Through our focus group engagements with commuters, many have expressed their willingness to assist, but are unaware of what they can do. A 2-hour online training session will be provided to those who sign up as Champions, to equip them with the knowledge to understand the challenges faced by the vulnerable commuters and how they can provide the appropriate help. Champions will also receive a badge for easy identification. We hope that these champions will educate and inspire their social circles, and the wider community to foster a more caring commuting culture.
A small act of care can be of a great impact on others.
You can make a difference. Be part of the Caring SG Commuters movement by signing up as a Caring Commuter Champion.
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 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 for boarding will be given to the elderly, expectant mothers, families with strollers and commuters with disabilities.
Wait at the Priority Queue zones next to the queues at bus interchanges and MRT/LRT stations.
If the designated wheelchair space on a bus is already occupied, or if the bus is very crowded, strollers will have to be folded and carried on board. PMA users may wait for the next wheelchair-accessible bus with available space.
By 2022, 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 on.
Priority Seats
As of 2018, the rows of seats on all new public buses from the entrance to the first exit door are designated Priority Seats.
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 them in mind, the ergonomic seats at bus stops and taxi shelters feature armrests that commuters can use to sit and get up with greater ease. These seats will replace the current narrow, bum rests.
Platform seats in newly-opened MRT stations along the Thomson-East Coast Line, likewise, have backrests and armrests. The colours of these seats were selected to contrast with the surroundings to increase visibility and help to prevent accidents or falls.
This elderly-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, from 2020 onwards, new bus interchanges will have family-friendly facilities such as nursing rooms, hot water dispensers, diaper changing stations and child-friendly wash basins, which are of lower heights and suitable for children to use. Similar facilities and family-friendly 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 Annoucements
During peak hours, background noise levels are higher and may affect commuters' ability 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.
