(Intercepted from Macao Daily) On the basis that the Macao SAR Government has been actively pushing the development of an integrated Physical Challenged and Able-Bodied Society, the Social Welfare Bureau has reorganized the Rehabilitation Bus Service of the Caritas Macau and of the Macau Red Cross. The new ¡§Rehabilitation Shuttle Bus¡¨ service is going to be launched on 15th December, 2017, for the convenience of people with disabilities to and from medical institutions. They will also study the launch of mobile app (mobile application) for users of the service, to locate the rehabilitation vehicles in order that they have better assistance when going out.

Study for new mobile app

A press conference was held by the Social Welfare Bureau at 3:00p.m., on 21st November, 2017, at 1F meeting room of San Pou Building, announcing the ¡§Pilot Scheme of Rehabilitation Shuttle Bus and Reorganization of Rehabilitation Bus Service¡¨. Department Chief of the Department of Social Solidarity of the Social Welfare Bureau, Choi Sio Un, Secretary General of the Caritas Macau, Pun Chi Meng, and Vice President of Central Council of the Macau Red Cross, Chiang Sao Meng, were present yesterday to explain the pilot scheme of rehabilitation bus.

The Pilot Project is going to run for one year

Choi Sio Un said that at the present moment the Social Welfare Bureau had authorized the Caritas Macau and the Macau Red Cross to operate rehabilitation buses. There are ten rehabilitation buses providing point-to-point shuttle service for people with needs to and from the residences and medical institutions, or health centers. Also, reservation is required before using the service. For the further expansion in service mode of rehabilitation buses, the authority is going to launch the pilot scheme of ¡§Rehabilitation Shuttle Bus¡¨ service on 15th December, 2017, for one year. The target users are those with assessment registration certificate and using wheelchairs.

Three Buses of Caritas Macau will be operated in loop routing

Choi Sio Un mentioned that after launching the new service, number of rehabilitation buses would go up to thirteen. Operation of three rehabilitation buses of the Caritas Macau will be changed into loop routing service, serving the Macao route and the Island Route that are going to pass by different points in the community and medical institutions. Operating hours will be from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. every day, and buses will come at one hour interval. This service does not require prior reservation. Two different sizes of vehicles will be used to serve people using wheelchairs and able to manage themselves. A middle size bus can accommodate five passengers, and one personnel will be there to assist them to get on and off. Another smaller size cars can only accommodate three to four passengers and they will be assisted by the driver when they are getting on and off. The daily carrying capacity is estimated to be 150 people.

Operating budget is estimated to be MOP3,000,000

As for The Macau Red Cross, they will keep running the point-to-point rehabilitation bus service requiring prior reservation, and the number of buses will be increased from seven to ten. Operating budget of rehabilitation shuttle bus for one year is estimated to be MOP3,000,000. Adjustment and optimization will be made in accordance with the practicality turning out from the pilot scheme. The Caritas Macau is studying for related mobile app as it will become a benefit for all users of the service when they go out by locating the vehicles, also by knowing the number of empty seats in the vehicle through this app.