ComfortDelGro to Take Action Against Driver for Mishandling Passenger's Wheelchair

A driver of a ComfortDelGro taxi was filmed appearing to forcefully dump a passenger’s wheelchair on a pavement. Taxi operator ComfortDelGro said it will discipline one of its drivers, after an incident involving the driver appearing to forcefully dump a passenger’s wheelchair on a pavement on July 18. Responding to media queries, a spokesperson said on July 20 the taxi operator has launched an investigation into the matter, noting that the driver’s actions were 'unacceptable and do not reflect the professional standards we uphold'.

In an updated statement, ComfortDelgro said the incident arose from a personal dispute between the driver and two family members she was ferrying. The incident did not involve fare-paying passengers, said the spokesperson, adding that the matter will be addressed internally with disciplinary action to be taken in line with company policies. 'We take a serious view of any misconduct by our cabbies,' said the spokesperson.

In a video circulated online on the SG Road Vigilante Facebook group, a blue taxi can be seen stopping at a zebra crossing. As the car with the camera capturing the footage pulls up behind the taxi, the video shows a red bag being flung out of the vehicle before landing on the pavement. A passenger emerges from the rear left seat of the cab, bends down to pick up the red bag and hands it to an elderly lady who has emerged from the front seat. At the same time, the driver removes a wheelchair from the taxi’s boot and proceeds to fling it on the pavement. The driver then moves to close the rear passenger door before appearing to yank the rear-seat passenger – who had gone to the front seat to retrieve an object left behind by the elderly lady – by the arm away from the vehicle before slamming the door. The elderly lady is seen tottering her way to the wheelchair before the driver slams the boot and returns to her taxi.

According to the poster, the incident took place on July 18 at about 1.30pm in Redhill Road. The video has since garnered at least 259,000 views and 470 comments.

According to the source: The Straits Times.