By Star Chang, posted Feb 7, 2012 at 3:05 AM, 1,264 views,

Subway in Chongqing Hires Pushers to Stuff Passengers into Trains

The Metro service in Chongqing city, which is located in Southwest China, has hired a few extra hands to push passengers into carriages during rush hours as the carriages’ doors cannot close normally because of the overwhelming number of passengers. It seems like the authorities have not much safety awareness …

The pusher told the local press that he needs to push at least ten times during peak hours and up to three people can be squeezed into a carriage in one push. They must also use both hands in their push, to avoid an imbalance of pushing forces which may cause passengers to fall over. If necessary, pushers can use their bodies to block even more passengers from entering the carriage. These “pushers” need at least half a month of training before they can work on the platforms. They have to wear gloves to prevent directly touching the passengers’ bodies, and they need a clear and loud voice to inform passengers prior to their pushes.

Chongqing Metro has been in operation since 2005. It has three lines in operation and is constructing some extension and new route. Line 1 serves as the system’s backbone connecting Chongqing’s most densely populated areas and Central Business Districts.

Source: CQWB (Chinese translated)