Forum: Balancing commuter needs in design of new electric buses
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We thank Ng Cheng Hoon for his feedback on the design of new electric buses (Design of new buses can be more elder-friendly, Sept 25).
Our newer electric buses are designed with low-floor boarding to make it easier for commuters to board and alight. In such designs, some seats are mounted on raised platforms to accommodate wheel arches and equipment such as electric motors and battery packs. The step height to these seats on certain bus models is higher than desired and some seniors or commuters with mobility difficulties may find them harder to access. We have therefore been working with bus manufacturers to make modifications to the bus design, lowering the step height to most seats to no more than 23cm. Close to 80% of the 420 electric buses have been modified, and we expect to complete modifications to the remaining buses by end-2026.