Motivated by the World and Every Single Smile
Q: What sparked your interest to join the public transport industry?
A: Working in the public transport industry is a dream of my life. During my younger days, I was amazed by the intricacies of our MRT network – How was the network designed? How was the train station manpower planned? There was always an immense pride and delightfulness whenever I took the trains. The experience also resonated with my love for travelling around the world. It was interesting to observe people come together, move together and even bond over simple conversations. Sitting on the trains and taking in the scenery also allowed me to appreciate the beautiful environment and sometimes forget about the challenges in life. Hence, I was determined to pursue a career with SMRT upon my graduation.
Q: Tell us about your roles and responsibilities.
A: The Station Manager is like a steward of the train station operations. This includes ensuring the efficiency of the rail services, and the safety of the employees and commuters.
Station Managers conduct regular inspection of the station premises and facilities to ensure that everything is operational. We also work closely with the maintenance team, who perform maintenance work on rail system and station facilities.
In addition to guiding other colleagues on operational matters at the stations, we also do manpower planning, ensure that our employee welfare is well-taken care of, and encourage them to constantly demonstrate a strong work ethic.
Q: What do you find fulfilling in your everyday work?
A: Seeing our commuters enjoying a safe, pleasant and reliable experience energizes me. I have a greater sense of accomplishment when I am able to provide assistance to those in need, e.g. advising commuters who enquire about directions and attending to people who need medical assistance. I am also blessed with a great team of station staff who make me feel more driven coming to work.
Every day is different and the same – we meet people from diverse array of cultures and we stay dedicated in serving our commuters, everyday.
Q: Share with us some of the memorable episodes you have had throughout your time in this role.
A: In one instance, I managed to reach a commuter who had lost his item at my station. It is not always the easiest to contact the commuters in a case of lost and found. Most of the time, there is no contact details that allow us to reach the commuters. In this particular incident, I used the social media e.g. Instagram and Facebook, to contact the commuter. He gave us a token of appreciation as a way to express his gratitude.
On another occasion, there was an emergency. I had to assist and facilitate the disembarkation of affected commuters from the train to the train platform. They continued their journey using the alternate transport available. That was an unforgettable and memorable experience.
Q: Tell us something about your role that the public may not know.
A: In general, the public is not fully aware of the role of Station Managers, other than taking care of the Passenger Service Centre and providing directions and assistance when the in need of help. As Circle Line is an automated train line, we need to be on standby to set route for the trains and drive the trains in case of emergency. There is opportunity for us to be cross-trained and improve deployability.
Q: What advice would you have for someone who is keen to join the industry?
A: I can say that it is a life-long learning adventure with limitless experience especially in the rail industry which is uncommon to the public. Challenge yourself, have a positive mindset and keep up with the current changes in the transport system.