‘Swap with Me’ at Cardiff

A group of partially sighted and blind people swapped places with bus drivers at Cardiff Bus for a training session recently. As part of RNIB’s ‘Stop for me, Speak to me’ campaign, the aim of the activity was to open a positive dialogue between bus drivers and blind and partially sighted people. The drivers took part in tasks such as trying to board a bus and pay for a ticket whilst wearing ‘SIM specs’, glasses that simulate sight impairment. Passengers got the chance to sit in the cab and experience bus travel from the driver’s perspective. The ‘Swap with Me’ event was jointly run by the Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB) and the operator.

Head of Operations for Cardiff Bus, Simon Mohammad, said, ‘We strive to provide a level of service that is equal for all, whilst meeting the needs of those who may find it more difficult to use the buses. It is important that our staff fully understand the important role they play in the lives of partially sighted and blind people, which is why we value working with RNIB on campaigns such as “Swap with Me”. It’s evident from this event the difference positive open dialogue and mutual understanding makes. Some great lessons were shared which I’m confident will improve the service for everyone.’