A New Caring SG Commuters Committee To Enable A Caring Commuting Culture

A caring commuting culture is essential to realising the vision of an inclusive transport system for Singapore. To support this, a Caring SG Commuters Committee has been set up to partner commuters and the community in a joint effort to transform Singapore’s public transport system into a more caring, welcoming and inclusive one.

Announced today by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Culture, Community and Youth Mr Baey Yam Keng during his speech at the 2020 Committee of Supply Debate, the Caring SG Commuters Committee is chaired by Mr Richard Magnus, Chairman, Public Transport Council (PTC), and comprises key industry players, as well as the relevant ministries and agencies. Please refer to the Annex for the composition of the committee.

The committee will facilitate and pull together multi-agency efforts in the ideation, implementation and publicity of public transport co-creation initiatives. For a start, the committee will focus on how commuters can support and care for other commuters with mobility needs – seniors, persons with disabilities, and families with young children. The committee will build on the Caring SG Commuters movement, which started in August 2017.

Many commuters are already stepping forward to lend a helping hand. Five of these commuters were recognised for their caring behaviour and presented with the inaugural Caring Commuter Award last October. Their stories highlight the important role that commuters play in fostering a caring culture on public transport. In this regard, the committee will: 

1. engage commuters extensively and co-create initiatives with the community to show care and concern for all groups of commuters;

2. partner students to pilot programmes aimed at building a caring commuter culture; and

3. examine how we can show appreciation and recognition to caring commuters and grow a volunteer corps of caring commuters. 

The committee will submit a report of its recommendations to the Minister for Transport in a year’s time on how to sustain a caring commuting culture for the long term.

Mr Richard Magnus, PTC Chairman, said: “For many Singaporeans, the public transport journey is an integral part of the daily experience, but there are groups of commuters who may need more help in their journey. Their challenges may sometimes go beyond what physical infrastructure can address. We want to build a culture where such commuters do not feel alone, but where acts of care by others around them can provide the solutions. A caring culture begins with someone taking the first step. Recently we saw young volunteers leading the way to show care and support for frontline healthcare and public transport workers at our Heart Zones. We invite commuters and the community to come on board to co-create a culture of care and a sense of togetherness.” 

About Land Transport Master Plan 2040

The Land Transport Master Plan (LTMP) 2040 outlines the future vision of land transport for Singapore. The “Transport for All” vision in LTMP 2040 will see everyone playing their part in fostering a gracious and caring commuting culture. The LTMP 2040 report states that the authorities will work with all stakeholders to foster a gracious and caring culture, where commuters are encouraged to be more thoughtful towards one another. 

About Caring SG Commuters

The Caring SG Commuters movement began in August 2017, when PTC launched its first two co-creation pilots. The pilots provided warm platforms for commuters to interact with fellow commuters, encouraging a caring commuting atmosphere to make everyone’s travel experience more pleasant, inclusive and welcoming. 

For more information, please visit: ptc.gov.sg/caring-sg-commuters

Annex: Composition of Caring SG Commuters Steering Committee