Some visually impaired people prefer to commute independently and may not always require help, while young commuters here may hold back from offering help to other commuters even though they view themselves as being caring.
These findings of a survey of more than 2,000 commuters in Singapore were presented at the launch of the inaugural Caring Commuter Week yesterday.
The Caring Commuter Week, launched by President Halimah Yacob, aims to promote a gracious and caring commuter culture.
It is organised by the Caring SG Commuters Steering Committee, which conducted the survey between April and November last year. The committee, which was formed last year, carried out the survey on multiple platforms, including online and face-to-face focus group discussions.
The key findings include:
• The youth surveyed said they may hold back from offering help due to their concerns or challenges. However, some said they do perform "indirect" acts of care, such as quietly vacating their seats for vulnerable commuters or pressing the button for the bus to stop if they see a commuter running for the bus.
• Some visually impaired commuters prefer commuting independently. But they appreciate it when commuters look out for them and give them time and space to navigate. They hope commuters do not feel disheartened when a visually impaired person declines their offer to help.
• The act of care goes both ways: Both the person helping and the one being helped should show care and appreciation.
As part of the Caring Commuter Week, there will be a host of activities starting yesterday and up to Dec 5 to generate awareness of how everyone can help make public transport journeys more inclusive.
For example, on Tuesday, some students from the National University of Singapore (NUS) will learn how to help vulnerable commuters, such as wheelchair users and the visually impaired, on public buses.
The Public Bus Inclusivity Course will equip the students with soft skills such as how to approach a commuter to offer help and raise awareness on the needs of vulnerable commuters.
The course participants are from the NUS Enablers - a student group passionate about helping those with special needs.
On Wednesday, the Transport Gold and Caring Commuter Awards 2021 will recognise service staff in the transport industry who have displayed gracious behaviour and given exemplary service, as well as public transport commuters who have acted caringly towards those in need.
Tower Transit Singapore said in a statement yesterday that an exhibition to promote inclusion of commuters with disabilities on public buses has opened at the Jurong East Bus Interchange.
It is part of a series of activities by Tower Transit to mark the Caring Commuter Week and is on till Dec 31.
Other activities include the launch of a wall mural drawn by members of the Down Syndrome Association at Bukit Batok Bus Interchange and the setting up of a motorised wheelchair charging station at Yishun Bus Interchange.
Commuters can make use of the charging station from today.
Transport Minister S. Iswaran said in his opening address at the launch of the Caring Commuter Week at the Land Transport Authority auditorium in Hampshire Road: "While the efforts of the committee and the public transport stakeholders are important, and a foundation, it is only by collaborating closely with the community that we can build a culture where showing care for fellow commuters becomes a way of life."
