National Kindness Award - Transport Gold 2012: 405 win awards for helping commuters

Public transport sector workers recognised for going the extra mile

By Royston Sim, The Straits Times, 31 Oct 2012

A YOUNG Filipino pupil had lost her student concession card for travel on public transport but forgot to bring her re-entry permit to get it replaced at Ang Mo Kio bus interchange.

She and her mother also could not return the next day with the document because the family was taking an early morning flight to go home to the Philippines during the December school holidays.

Sensing their frustration, TransitLink officer Helen Wong offered to visit their home in Yishun to collect the document later that evening but in the meantime, made a new card for the primary school pupil.

Yesterday, the 55-year-old Ms Wong was named Kindness Champion for her exemplary service, along with ComfortDelGro cabby Thomas Charles, 58, and SMRT cabby Abdul Aziz Kassim, 55.

Recalling the incident, she said: "It was an exceptional case because she was going home on holiday the next day.

"I could see from her facial expression that she was very anxious, so I just took a little extra step so she didn't have to worry."

So when her shift ended, she took the bus from Ang Mo Kio to Yishun to collect a copy of the girl's re-entry permit.



In all, 405 workers from the public transport sector were recognised for good customer service at the annual Transport Gold Awards ceremony held at the University Cultural Centre.

Singapore Kindness Movement general secretary William Wan, who was at the ceremony, said the award winners exemplified what the kindness movement stood for.

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew, who was the guest of honour, said: "Public transport is ultimately delivered by people for people, and the experience of the commuter is defined not only by the extent of the infrastructure but also especially, by interactions with public transport personnel."

'Hardware' and 'heartware' are both equally important: Minister
By Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid, TODAY, 31 Oct 2012

SINGAPORE - Billions have been invested in transport infrastructure like new rail lines and trains and buses, but for a better public transport experience for all, "hardware" improvements must be complemented by commuter-centric service or "heartware", Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said.

Speaking at the National Kindness Award (Transport Gold) ceremony yesterday, Mr Lui said over the last 10 years, the Government has invested about S$25 billion in infrastructure and will double the investment over the next decade. But the commuter's experience is also defined by the interactions with personnel such as bus drivers, customer service officers and taxi drivers, he said. And commuters too play a role.

Citing a complaint he received about commuters playing loud music on trains, Mr Lui said: "We certainly don't turn a deaf ear to this particular problem, but there is only so much that the authorities and the regulators can do ... if we as commuters bear consideration for the comfort of those around us, both ways, then it will make the commuting experience a more pleasant one."

He added that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has observed that more commuters have been queuing for trains at stations without being told.

Mr Lui said: "There's no big sign, there's nobody telling them, 'you all line up two by two, like you are going to the classroom', but because some people set the example, others are urged to follow suit just because they see this is indeed the right thing to do." 

At the ceremony yesterday, more than 400 transport service staff were recognised for going the extra mile to serve commuters.