SINGAPORE, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Singapore on Friday opened a training center to equip public transport staff with the physical skills needed to assist passengers with disabilities, as well as the awareness, care and respect required to do so.
Located at the Seletar Bus Depot in northeastern Singapore, the facility features a simulated train platform gap, ramps and stairways, allowing for hands-on training alongside theoretical instruction, public transport operator SBS Transit said in a statement.
As a shared facility for all public transport operators, it will initially be used to train transit workers, with plans to open access to the public.
"Making journeys accessible for persons with disabilities extends beyond infrastructure and must be underpinned by a caring and empathetic environment," said Jeffrey Sim, group chief executive officer of SBS Transit.
For instance, if a wheelchair user's wheels become lodged in the gap between the train and the platform, it is proper for an officer to first ask whether assistance is needed, rather than acting on instinct or rushing to resolve the problem, as unannounced assistance, even if well intentioned, can startle or disorient the person in need, the statement said.
The training center was established by SBS Transit, the Land Transport Authority's Singapore Bus Academy, and the agency for disability inclusion SG Enable. ■
