A bus ride across generations to foster a caring commuting experience

The Public Transport Council (PTC) and South West Community Development Council (CDC) launched the inaugural CARE Ride @ South West on Friday, 7 December 2018.

2. Some 44 students from ITE College West and Pioneer Junior College, and 20 elderly from South West CDC’s Adopt @South West joined Ms Low Yen Ling, Mayor of South West District and Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Education and Manpower), Mr Baey Yam Keng, Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Transport and Culture, Community & Youth) and Mr Richard Magnus, PTC Chairman, as well as partners from the Land Transport Authority and SMRT Buses, for the first CARE Ride @ South West at Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange today.

3. The CARE Ride @ South West – which stands for “Caring commuters Assist Readily with Empathy” – is part of a wider movement to make our public transport system inclusive for all users. The initiative aims to provide opportunities for younger commuters to better understand the travel needs of seniors so they can be more mindful and proactive when encountering elderly commuters in future.

4. At the same time, the initiative provides a platform for the two groups of commuters to bond, create shared experiences together, and empower elderly commuters to travel more confidently on public transport.

5. The CARE Ride @ South West is also a social wellness programme under the ‘Adopt @ South West’. Together with local partners such as Fei Yue Senior Activity Centre and Fei Yue Retirees Centre, Adopt @ South West aims to provide social support and enrich the lives of the vulnerable. Senior beneficiaries from Adopt-A-Rental-Block @ Chua Chu Kang (as part of Adopt @ South West) embarked on the bus journey with the students.

6. Said Mayor Low Yen Ling, “South West CDC is happy to partner PTC in rolling out the CARE Ride @ South West, which will see our youth and our seniors enjoying a multi-generational ride through our community. Such learning journeys can be mutually beneficial for the elderly and students, as both generations get to know each other better. It is important we continue to put in effort towards forging bonds between generations, not just to nurture strong familial ties, but also to build a more understanding, caring and inclusive society.”

7. At the same time, this initiative is part of PTC’s wider co-creation movement “Caring SG Commuters” which aims to grow the capacity and contributions of commuters and the community. PTC will gather feedback from the inaugural ride to identify recommendations to make public transport commute more commuter-centric.

8. Said Mr Richard Magnus, PTC Chairman, “With one in four Singaporeans expected to be 65 and above by 2030, our public transport experience must be ‘age-friendly’ and inclusive of elderly commuters with varying mobility needs. While a bus ride may be a simple daily routine for a younger commuter, it can be challenging for an elderly. Through this bus ride “across generations”, we hope to see more mutual understanding and care between the two groups of commuters. Beyond this, I believe today’s event will also allow the two different generations of commuters to have a shared connection and memory on the bus.”