Timeline for Public Bus Accessibility Feature Upgrades to Support Visually Impaired and Deaf Commuters

Written Reply to Parliamentary Question 

Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Acting Minister for Transport as of 2026

a.      what proportion of public buses still lack integrated next-stop visual displays and audio announcements;

b.      how the Ministry ensures accessibility for visually impaired and deaf commuters on these older buses;

c.      whether the Ministry will mandate retrofitting for the remaining fleet rather than waiting for natural replacement; and

d.      what is the projected completion timeline.

Reply by Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow: 

1.     About 20% of our current public bus fleet is equipped with the Passenger Information Display System (PIDS) for buses which features visual displays and audio announcements of upcoming stops. Another 20% of the fleet have internal speakers that provide audio announcements. All new buses will be equipped with PIDS, and by 2030, around 70% of the fleet will have at least one of these systems as we refresh our fleet.

2.      Older buses were not designed to include such systems; it is not practical to retrofit them with visual displays, speakers and cabling.

3.      Apart from technological solutions, bus captains are trained to assist commuters with additional wayfinding needs. Commuters who are deaf or visually impaired can request for bus captains to alert them when the bus is arriving at their stop. We also encourage commuters to assist their fellow passengers if they need additional wayfinding assistance, such as through the “Please alert me when I am approaching my stop” card in the Helping Hand scheme.