Transport Gold Awards 2015 Ceremony Recognises Outstanding Service Staff in the Public Transport Industry
Singapore, 28 October 2015 – Organised by the Public Transport Companies, in collaboration with the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) and Land Transport Authority (LTA), the annual Transport Gold Awards was held earlier today at The Joyden Hall at BUGIS+. The event recognised outstanding service staff in the public transport industry, who have created pleasant commuting experiences, and is aimed at encouraging these staff to continue providing impeccable service for commuters.
This year’s awards saw 417 public transport staff being recognised for their efforts in going the extra mile in their work. These individuals were chosen by a panel of judges appointed by SKM which included representatives from LTA, Traffic Police and the SKM Council. A total of five winners were identified from each of the five categories as recipients of the “Outstanding Awards” – Bus Operations, Taxi Operations, Rail Operations, Engineering and Automotive, as well as Customer Service and all other support functions.
Four individuals stood out amongst the recipients of the “Outstanding Awards” for their kind acts and graciousness on the road.
Mr Chua Hock Lye, an Assistant Station Manager with SBS Transit Ltd, received the highest number of commendations among his colleagues for frequently going the extra mile for customers. In one incident, a work permit was found at the station. Understanding the anxiety the owner would experience at its loss, Hock Lye personally delivered the work permit to the employer’s office after his shift had ended, much to the delight and appreciation of both the employer and employee. On a separate occasion, a foreigner had misplaced her bank card and was worried that it could have fallen into the wrong hands. Hock Lye calmed her down and explained how she could go about cancelling the card. As she was not familiar with the area, Hock Lye also drew a map for her to indicate the nearest police station where she could make a report.
Having been a taxi driver with ComfortDelGro Taxis for 21 years, Mr Lim Ee Teh, 62, has received many commendations for taking good care of his passengers. He went the extra mile for one of his passengers, who had forgotten to bring his wallet. Not only did Mr Lim agree to let him pay the cab fare via bank transfer, the friendly taxi driver also gave the passenger some money to get him through the day. An account of his kind deed was shared by the passenger on social media and he was widely praised by local netizens. He regularly takes the initiative to inform his passengers where he will be waiting for them, via SMS.
In her 30 years with SMRT, Ms Katijah Bte Sarbu’s willingness to go out of her way to help others has been the hallmark of her service. In that time, she has risen through the ranks and is now a Station Manager. In her role, she has consistently delivered excellent service to ensure safe, reliable and efficient journeys for the passengers. A regular commuter, who is visually impaired and often gets assistance from Katijah in getting a seat on the train, has even started referring to her as a friend.
The instinct and passion to help others are integral aspects of good service, and Ms Ren Pingping, a TransitLink Customer Service Officer, fully demonstrated these traits by going beyond her daily duty to assist a group of elderly commuters after her working hours. Noticing that some senior citizens were having trouble using their SG50 vouchers at the add-value machines, she promptly came forward to help them even though her shift had already ended. Her exemplary service attitude made such an impression on a passer-by that he wrote in to a public forum to commend her.
Dr William Wan, General Secretary of SKM, said, “Every day, more than four million commutes are made via public transport in Singapore. Frontline service and back-end support staff put in a lot of effort to make these commutes as pleasant and enjoyable for everyone as possible, and we are glad to recognise those who have gone the extra mile for their passengers. Their inspiring stories remind us of the capacity we each possess to make a positive difference to others’ lives, and exemplify the spirit of how a nation of kindness truly starts with one.”
Please visit http://kindness.sg/ for more information.