J’s Path to Commuting Independently

Illustration of a caring commuter sharing encouraging words with Mdm K. Source: Public Transport Council

“You are doing a great job, raising your daughter.”

Hearing these encouraging words from a caring commuter made Mdm K feel heartened and appreciated.

For Mdm K, her daughter J’s happiness and independence are always at the forefront of her mind. When J was diagnosed as a child with special needs, Mdm K made the decision to become her full-time caregiver.

One of the key areas in which Mdm K hopes to build J’s confidence is in taking public transport. To help J, the mother-daughter duo often commutes via buses and trains to gain familiarity with the sights, sounds, and sensations of the bustling transport hubs. As J becomes more familiar with commuting on public transport, Mdm K believes she will gain the confidence to commute independently.

Illustration of Mdm K and J waiting for their train at the MRT platform. Source: Public Transport Council

On their commutes, Mdm K and J encountered many caring commuters who show care in different ways. Many commuters step forward to offer J a seat while others give way to her when they are taking the MRT lifts.

Over the years, Mdm K has definitely noticed an increase in the awareness of commuters with different needs on public transport.

She shares that “a growing caring culture could be due to initiatives like the Caring SG Commuters movement, that helps to educate people on how to interact with people of all needs on buses and trains.”

One such caring experience which was particularly unforgettable happened while Mdm K was talking to J on the MRT. She was explaining to her daughter that they needed to alight at the next stop, to prepare her to alight.

While doing so, a caring commuter seated on J’s other side said encouragingly, “you are doing a great job, raising your daughter.” These simple words, shared by a stranger, were filled with care and made Mdm K feel seen for her effort in doing her best for J.

For Mdm K, showing care goes both ways. She also educates J on showing care to other commuters by letting other people board the bus or exit first, and to give up her seat to elderly commuters who may need it more.

Mdm K feels appreciative of all caring commuters for their efforts in making public transport a safer and kinder place for people of different needs.

Names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of the people involved.