PUBLISHED ONJuly 21, 2026 11:00 PMBYEsther LamA recent bus ride with his three children and two strollers prompted one father to question whether Singapore's public transport provides enough space for commuters with different mobility needs.
Bobby Sim wrote in his Facebook post on Sunday (July 19) that on most days he has "been lucky because people are kind", but recalled an instance where a bus driver informed him that one stroller would need to make way if a wheelchair user needed to board.
One wheelchair user eventually did board the bus, but Sim said he was unable to fold up a stroller as his children were sleeping in them. Fortunately, the wheelchair user, he added, patiently said that he would wait for the next bus.
"We were very thankful. But honestly, he should not have had to wait also," recounted Sim.
Sim typically travels on public transport, including buses, with two strollers — a double stroller and a single stroller.
A photo shared by Sim in his post shows three toddlers seated in two strollers on a public bus. The strollers are parked in the area reserved for strollers and wheelchairs.
"Wheelchair users need priority. Parents with young kids also need a workable way to move around. Bus drivers are stuck enforcing rules. Everyone is just trying to get from one place to another without making life harder for someone else," Sim wrote.
He then spoke about how "Singapore says it wants more babies and more active seniors".
"Then you try to board a bus with both, and you see the real problem nobody talks about," captioned Sim. "That is not anyone being difficult. That is just the design."
He also spoke about the high costs of owning a car in Singapore, saying: "For many households, that is not transport. That is a financial trap."
His post comes amid a Public Transport Council (PTC) survey released on Monday that identified three key areas for improvement in the public transport network: Bus and train crowding, irregular bus waiting times and uneven MRT air-conditioning.
The results also found that courtesy and consideration shown by other commuters onboard was a concern.
The 2025 public transport customer satisfaction survey was conducted last year from Aug 18 to Sept 5 and polled 5,505 passengers aged 15 and above.
Many netizens empathised with Sim and the struggles parents with young kids face when travelling on public transport, while others felt that there were alternative solutions.
One netizen, who claimed to be both a wheelchair user and a parent, identified with both sides and encouraged everyone to "give some grace and let things go".
She added that she was grateful some of the newer buses have two slots and more empty space, allowing both wheelchairs and strollers to be parked.
However, another netizen claimed that the new Tower Transit buses have "even less space for wheelchairs and strollers".
Some also tried to offer suggestions such as using slings to carry one child or to utilise alternative modes of transport.
A netizen who has three children and two wheelchair-bound parents admitted that "logistics for travel is always a challenge".
"With lesser taxis, this is always a problem, not all Grab will take wheelchairs or young kids," added the netizen.
Earlier this year, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced a "First to Board, First to Use" trial as part of efforts to make public transport more inclusive for commuters with diverse mobility needs.
The six-month trial from April to September will see 10 bus services have their existing priority bays became shared for wheelchair users, mobility aid users and parents travelling with children in strollers.
Separately, LTA's conditions of carriage for public buses state that passengers with strollers should not leave them unattended, block bus aisles or impede the movement of other passengers.
When public buses are crowded, passengers with strollers shall fold their strollers and give priority to a wheelchair use in the wheelchair bay onboard, it added.
AsiaOne has contacted Sim for additional information.
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