Mr Ali with Caring Fleet staff
Ali Hussein Shahul is thankful for Caring Fleet Services, a social enterprise supported by Tote Board, for taking him to his physiotherapy sessions so he would not have to take a taxi every time.
Life has not been easy for Mr Ali, 66, a grandfather of four lovely grandchildren. At the tender age of one-and-half months old, he contracted polio, a viral illness that causes paralysis and difficulty in breathing. His parents took care of him and as he grew up, he became a little more independent, but still found it tough walking on his left “polio” leg.
“When I was about 12 years old and schooling, my younger brother who was in the same school would have to hold my hand,” he said. A doctor later warned him that when he got older, his spine would be affected, but he still remained optimistic that things would turn out better.
When Mr Ali was 42 years old, he faced another disappointment when he fractured his kneecap from a fall at work. He had to undergo an operation, but things did not fully go back to normal. The muscles in his polio leg further weakened, thus requiring him to wear calipers.
For the last two years, Mr Ali started suffering from lower back pains as a result of his leg. “I couldn’t go out and if I had to go out, I had to get a taxi. I try not to go out unless absolutely necessary.” The pain was so severe that he even had problems doing daily living activities such as taking items from the overhead cupboards in his kitchen.
He went to the hospital for injection treatments but that did not help. In 2014, he chose to go to SPD’s Ability Centre, as it was closer to his home, for physiotherapy sessions. The non-profit organisation also got him subsidised door-to-door transport services through Caring Fleet Services.
Earlier, he was going for his sessions twice a week but the visits have since been reduced to once a week. He also supplements his sessions with exercises at home. Thanks to SPD, he received a motorised scooter, which has allowed him now to go long distances on his own without the fear of falling or needing someone with him.
And the good news does not end there. His physiotherapy sessions have helped alleviate his back pains and he is now able to perform his daily living activities with fewer restrictions.
"The transport service has helped me a lot as I don’t have to spend on taxi fare which can be costly over time."
- Ali Hussein Shahul, 66, Caring Fleet Services user
"Since 2011, SPD has engaged the services of Caring Fleet to ferry our clients to our centres so that they can access therapy and other SPD services. More than just a good service provider, its drivers are also caring and always looking out for our clients. More importantly, its management listens when we share our
transport challenges and works closely with us to find solutions."
- Monica Tung, Senior Assistant Director, Corporate Services, SPD
Alleviating transport woes for those with mobility issues
Tote Board supported the founding of Caring Fleet Services (CFS) in 2010 to provide affordable and dedicated transport services to those with mobility issues. In 2014, CFS provided more than 58,000 passenger trips for the wheelchair-bound to their medical visits including dialysis treatments and rehabilitation, and to their schools and workplaces. It also helps individuals from low-income families through its Transport Care Fund.
Currently, CFS is contracted by five VWOs including SPD, where its services are used to transport its beneficiaries from door to door. It has allowed the VWOs to focus on their core activities rather than managing transport.
With such a growing need for its services, CFS plans to increase its fleet to more than 20 vehicles by the end of 2015.