Subway train too hot? Tell the driver

METRO passengers who find themselves shivering or sweltering on subway trains can now buzz the driver and ask for the air-conditioning to be adjusted.

This follows complaints about the Metro air-conditioning system being too strong, too weak or not seeming to work at all.

But passengers had no way of adjusting this as the system was controlled by operations centers.

Now city Metro operator Shanghai Shentong Group has responded to a local lawmaker's proposal and overhauled train air-conditioning systems to let riders to have their say.

Wang Chen, a deputy to the Shanghai People's Congress, proposed that drivers should be able to adjust air-conditioning.

And if passengers are unhappy with a train's temperature, they can speak to the driver through the emergency intercom system.

Alternately, they can dial the complaint hotline, 6437000 or advise Metro workers at stations.

The air-conditioning temperature setting is based on what is considered comfortable, but passengers may feel cold or hot, depending on how full trains are.

Though the temperature has been set when a train leaves the terminal, drivers now can adjust the temperature according to passengers' needs, said Shentong Group.

The new system is on all lines except Line 1, where the air-conditioning system is too old to be upgraded.

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