ComfortDelGro to install plastic shields in driving centre cars; instructors to wear goggles

COMFORTDELGRO will be installing soft plastic shields in all 163 training cars at its driving centre in anticipation of phase two of Singapore's reopening, it said on Tuesday.

The 0.8 millimetre-thick shields, which measure 80cm wide and 80cm long, will give learners and instructors an added level of safety as driving classes resume amid the pandemic.

The shields, which will be secured to the inner roofing of cars by a strong velcro strip, will hang between the two front seats.

They will not extend all the way to the front of the car, so instructors can still reach the steering wheel or handbrake through the gap when needed.

These shields will not obstruct the learner's or instructor's view of the side mirrors, even at night, the mainboard-listed company said.

In addition, all learners will be required to wear face masks during practical lessons that last about 100 minutes each.

Driving instructors will be required to wear masks, put on goggles, and wind down the windows when they are training learners.

All training cars will be disinfected after each training, including the shields.

ComfortDelGro Driving Centre chief executive Lim Tien Hock said the company was looking forward to resuming operations "as soon as we are given the green light".

"Safety is one of our topmost priorities, especially since practical lessons are carried out in the confined space of a training vehicle," he added.

Earlier in May, ComfortDelGro installed plastic shields in 400 of its taxis as a Covid-19 safety measure.

These shields, made of an unbreakable material, cover the driver's cabin entirely, with two openings for passengers to make payment.

The locally manufactured shields are trademarked by Moove Media, the mainboard-listed group's outdoor advertising arm.

Earlier last week, ComfortDelGro said Moove Media will be sponsoring acrylic shields on dining tables in Koufu's Thomson Plaza foodcourt as part of a month-long trial that will begin in phase two of Singapore's reopening.

Shares of ComfortDelGro were trading at S$1.66 as at 1.53pm on Tuesday, up S$0.08 or 5.1 per cent.