Safety is a key component of accessibility in public transportation

Last year, our family’s wheelchair-accessible van broke down due to a fault in its hydraulic ramp. From March to May 2025, my caregiver and I had no choice but to take the bus to my office. It was the first time I’d used public transportation in a decade. Back then, I didn’t need a ventilator during the day and could still travel independently in my power wheelchair.

Those few months changed my understanding of accessibility. Before then, I thought it simply meant being able to get to where I needed to go. Living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) has taught me that accessibility means something more fundamental: feeling safe enough to make the journey in the first place.

DMD is a genetic condition that progressively weakens almost every muscle in my body, including those responsible for breathing and heart function. Nowadays, I use a manual wheelchair and rely on a ventilator around the clock. Every trip outside my home needs careful planning, as a routine commute carries risks that most people don’t have to consider.

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Taking the bus again after a decade was daunting. As someone who depends on BiPAP support, I constantly worry about my ventilator being damaged in crowded peak hours. So I asked my girlfriend, Amanda, who takes the bus regularly, to accompany my caregiver and me on every journey.

Each ride reminded me how vulnerable I’ve become. My caregiver had to maneuver me, my ventilator, and our bags through the narrow doorway of the bus before positioning my wheelchair in the priority bay beside a pole. Every bump, turn, and sudden halt made me wonder if my equipment remained functional. Though there was a safety harness available to secure my wheelchair, I couldn’t find any on-board instructions explaining how to use it.

I was relieved when our wheelchair-accessible van was finally repaired. But I also realized that something had changed: I no longer saw accessible transportation as a matter of convenience. For me, it became a matter of safety.

Those memories resurfaced last April, when the Land Transport Authority here in Singapore, where I live, announced a pilot project that lumps wheelchair users, mobility aid users, and parents with strollers together to share priority bays on buses on a first-come, first-served basis.

At first glance, the initiative seems like a practical way to accommodate more commuters with diverse mobility needs. But it also asks people with very different needs to share the same limited space. While parents with strollers and wheelchair users may both rely on the priority bay, our needs aren’t always the same.

Living with DMD means I can’t simply wait elsewhere if the priority bay is occupied. My wheelchair, ventilator, and caregiver all need that space for me to travel safely. It made me wonder whether a first-come, first-served approach could fully meet the needs of people whose safety depends on accessible spaces.

Today, I work at Shalom Medcare, advocating for accessible transportation for patients like me with complex medical needs. Looking back, those months when I had to take public transportation taught me that conversations about accessibility shouldn’t end with whether disabled people can board public transportation. It should be about whether we can travel safely, confidently, and with dignity once we’re on board.

My lived experiences with DMD have taught me that accessibility and safety are inseparable. As someone who uses a wheelchair and a ventilator every moment of every day, true accessibility begins long before I arrive at my destination. It begins with knowing I’ll get there safely.

Note: Muscular Dystrophy News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Muscular Dystrophy News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to muscular dystrophy.