Singapore – Singapore’s transport company ComfortDelGro has added a new line of service – a non-emergency transportation service aiming to cater to the mobility needs of the elderly and persons with disabilities (PWD).
The latest service offering will be provided by its newly-formed subsidiary, ComfortDelGro MedCare, which specializes in the medical escort transport business for the elderly and PWDs. ComfortDelGro will be rolling out a whole new fleet of wheelchair-accessible minibusses.
Lim Tien Hock, the CEO of ComfortDelGro MedCare, commented that accessibility is a challenge faced by people with mobility issues, such as the elderly and those with disabilities, and that in response, ComfortDelGro MedCare was formed with the aim of not only expanding the company’s transport solutions but also adopting inclusive practices to serve this under-served community in Singapore.
“ComfortDelGro MedCare will ensure that people with mobility issues can get from where they are to where they want to be, safely and reliably. With such transport options, we can help enrich their quality of life and enhance their connectedness to the broader society,” said Lim.
The minibusses will come with raised roofs and are retrofitted with automatic hydraulic lifts, safety retractors, and forward-facing seats to ensure both wheelchair users and their caregivers can sit comfortably. Each minibus is said to accommodate up to three wheelchairs and five seated passengers.
The new medical transport service is not the company’s first venture into non-emergency patient transport, where in 2018, it acquired Australia-headquartered National Patient Transport (NPT). The company said that now that it has brought the service to the Lion City, it will be leveraging the Group’s experience in Australia.
ComfortDelGro MedCare ensures that its drivers are trained who can administer first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, as well as operate an automated external defibrillator (AED). The company also said that staff are trained to help wheelchair users and passengers with dementia. Furthermore, the drivers are put through a driving assessment by the company’s own Driving Centre.
ComfortDelGro inititally has 10 minibusses for the new service, with more to be added as demand grows. Healthcare or daycare centers, medical institutions, social service agencies, and members of the public can book the entire minibus for one-way or two-way trips, or at an hourly rate ranging from S$63 to S$75, depending on the time of their booking.
During the peak periods, which are weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. SGT and 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. SGT, a one-way transfer is priced at S$113 , while the fare is S$225 for a two-way transfer. Meanwhile, off-peak bookings are available on weekdays from 11:01 a.m. to 2:59 p.m. SGT, which is priced at S$95 for a one-way transfer, and S$189 for a two-way transfer.
All bookings must be made two days in advance via its website or WhatsApp. The payment for the services can also be made online or via PayNow.
