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By now we're no stranger to the wheelchair ramp that folds out from the floor of our public buses to make an almost linear connection with the floor of bus stops. The ramp slopes slightly, and in some instances, leaves a small gap in the contact it tries to make. Even so, I was heartened when the first wheelchair accessible buses hit our roads in 2006. It was a huge step forward in improving accessibility and enabling mobility for all. This was Singapore's first wheelchair accessible bus - the Euro 3 Volvo B9TL CDGE - which was retired in 2023 🥲 18 years later, the manual ramp lives on. Like me, you may have wondered at least once about when these tactile surfaced folding boards would be replaced with automated ones. "It could save the bus captains the hassle of deploying the wheelchair ramp repeatedly", was what I thought. It's no easy task having to bend over to deploy the ramp on and off, in addition to the responsibility of ensuring that commuters are transported safely. Yet there are good reasons for why the manually operated ramps are still the way to go, for now. The same consideration also crossed the minds of the authorities. In 2017, automatic wheelchair ramps were trialled in SBS Transit buses for six months. The feasibility test, however, yielded longer waiting times for commuters and for other bus services serving the same bus stops. This, according to LTA, was due to the extra time needed to extend and retract the automatic ramp. LTA also explained that more maintenance will be needed owing to the complex set-up of automated ramps. So, it seems the trusty human-operated ramps are here to stay. Apart from the bus captains, one other group of commuters are naturally equally (if not more) affected by the ramp – whether it exists, what form it may take, and how smoothly it operates. The wheelchair users. While poking around for my research, I came across this story which I think puts into crystal-clear perspective the fears and anxieties of wheelchair users in relation to riding the public buses. One point that struck me was how these commuters think they might be inconveniencing others because of their disability. They should not have to feel this way. And if it doesn't already pose enough anxiety for wheelchair users to take the public transport, using the wheelchair ramp only adds to their anxiety levels. Little known to non-wheelchair users, the way a ramp is handled can signal a very different message to wheelchair-bound commuters. For example, if the deployed ramp impacts the ground with a 'bang', it can cause the wheelchair user to think that they aren't welcome on the bus. Speaking from experience, a user interviewed by CNA shared that it requires a lot of confidence to navigate the wheelchair ramp on the public buses. A course that's jointly conducted by SPD and transport operator, Tower Transit Singapore, seeks precisely to address this point by helping "people with disabilities regain their confidence in travelling on public buses". Wheelchair users get practice on navigating, bus captains receive training on assisting with the ramp – these are important steps to bolstering the structural measures already put in place. My hope though, is still for an alternative – such as a middle ground – to be found to better the experience not only for the bus captains but also wheelchair users. Members of the public, too, can play a part: The Public Bus Confidence Course is free and open to all. With some patience and consideration when taking the public buses, we can (in indirect ways) alleviate the anxiety that wheelchair users have bottled up so they don't think that they're a hindrance to others. It will also help bus captains to carry out their duties more effectively. Some food for thought though, here's a London Bus with a fully electric wheelchair ramp. - Denise Media from: Adobe Stock, Unsplash, SBS Transit, Tower Transit Singapore, Land Transport Guru, YouTube

The start's always the toughest, they say. This was something I felt very keenly while trying to formulate the first few words of this post. Maybe it has got to do with that tingly sense of generating my very first blog entry…for work. But anyway, writer's block aside, hello there, I'm Denise from the Sgcarmart Editorial Team. It seems I'll be rounding up the relay of introductory posts from my teammates to kick-start 2024 proper! Who is she? So who am I? I'm the newest addition and the (only) female in the team. For now. I have to confess that being one of the few women in this line of work has been one of the most interesting experiences I've had. Apart from sticking out, it's a whole bunch of refreshing 'first times'. It's a first for me working with/on automotives, setting foot in a largely male environment, appearing in videos, etc. On many counts, I think these are positive steps towards encouraging more diversity – for myself and for the team. I'd also like to think that I'm part of the change I would like to see in the realm of diversity and inclusion. This is something I stand for and an area, which (I feel) has much to be done. Diversity doesn't always mean inclusion But first, let's set the record straight: Being diverse doesn't necessarily mean being inclusive. The biggest difference is that diversity exists even without us trying, but inclusivity requires deliberate effort. Truth is, we're all different in our unique ways. To harmonise the diversity we come by on a daily basis is to agree to disagree, and still exist as one community despite our differences. This in itself is by no means a task that expends energy. This is what it is to practise inclusivity. One analogy that's commonly used to distinguish between the two is "the dance". Going by this example, diversity is akin to having an automatic invite to a party. Whereas, inclusion is when the party plays your preferred kind of music to dance to, yet no one judges you for your moves. There are definitely more everyday examples of diversity and inclusion in our lives than we can imagine. Becoming more aware of them is a baby step closer to putting it into action. Why I (and we all should) care Maybe it's because of my past life in Human Resources; or maybe it's because of experiences I've had that bred an interest in me for diversity and inclusion. But at the heart of it all, I care about this because it's about how we make people feel through our choice of words and actions. And because while we easily forget what's said or done, feelings last for longer. So here's to us being more diverse and inclusive in 2024! Photos from: iStockPhoto.com and AdobeStock