London Cab fleet doubles - becomes wheelchair friendly

According to The Straits Times, another 15 London cabs hit the roads yesterday, doubling the size of SMRT's fleet of large taxis.

The Straits Times also reported that the 30 iconic white cabs are wheelchair friendly regardless they are motorised or larger than normal. The first batch made its debut in March after a $3.1 million government grant was awarded to SMRT. Now SMRT wants to train its drivers to "better assist passengers with mobility impairments".

Senior Vice-President of SMRT Roads, Mr Benny Lim, said cabbies of the London taxi's had established "long-time relationships" with their customers. He also added the transport firm has been running a mentorship programme where experienced drivers were paired with new ones - allowing veterans to share their knowledge and insights on customer service with amateurs.

"We are confident that our efforts in doubling the availability of our fleet of London taxis, coupled with enhanced training offered to drivers, will translate to enhanced comfort and convenience to passengers with special travel needs," said Mr Lim.