OUR PEOPLE, OUR SKILLS The ComfortDelGro family consists of people of all ages who hail from all walks of life, from fresh newcomers to experienced mentors with decades on the job. Written on every face is an inspiring story — of lessons learnt, laughter shared, and challenges overcome. OUR PEOPLE, OUR SKILLS PROFESSIONAL AND PROUD

EVERY TAXI DRIVER THAT DRIVES ‘Why don’t we speak to her then?’ his carer. I dropped the customer A BLACK CAB HAS TO PASS THE I called up my mum and told her at his home address and he KNOWLEDGE OF LONDON. This I had someone who wanted to told me his neighbour was test involves learning 25,000 talk to her. She couldn’t believe Mr Jeremy Clarkson. streets and 20,000 points of it when I handed the phone to interest, which grows as London Mr Dustin Hoffman. After the customers left, I went grows. This takes, on average, on my way. I noticed that a piece four years to obtain. I obtained my I like to treat every journey as of equipment was left in the taxi. badge by studying full time in just if I were the customer trying to I immediately went back to the over three years. get somewhere. I see the most street to return the equipment as I important part of my work is to do knew it would be essential for the As a London taxi driver, my the job to the best of my ability, customer. Lo and behold, I saw customers vary from Lords to ensuring everyone gets to his Mr Jeremy Clarkson who needed mums with prams, from able- destination as quickly and safely a taxi! Needless to say, each bodied people to wheelchair as possible. customer is treated exactly the users. Our taxis are especially same regardless of his individual designed to cater to people with It’s inevitable that the taxi industry needs — with professionalism different needs. As a driver, I have will change in the future but I and pride. to know how to help the customer firmly believe that where London into the taxi safely and then be is concerned, there won’t be many Technology has been the biggest able to secure them safely for changes. Why would you make a change in the last few years and the journey. change to the greatest taxi service will no doubt continue to evolve. on the planet? I also don’t think Taxi hailing apps have impacted One of my more memorable trips the professionalism and pride of me but I think that as the situation was picking up Mr Dustin Hoffman London Taxi Drivers would ever stabilises, many have and will come as a fare on Marylebone High change. I picked up a customer to appreciate that a professional Street. He was a lovely man. We recently who was a wheelchair taxi driver offers a service that got talking and I told him my mum user. He travelled with his hoist, is unparalleled — and that cost was a really big fan and he said his wheelchair, equipment and isn’t everything.

78 A GLOBAL GROUP I like to treat every journey as if I were the customer trying to get somewhere. John

MR JOHN BUTLER Computer Cab Mr John Butler, 45, earned his qualification to drive a black London cab in 1997. He joined Computer Cab soon after.

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF COMFORTDELGRO 79 OUR PEOPLE, OUR SKILLS

80 A GLOBAL GROUP THE LOVE OF PRECISION

MR STEVEN TEU CIHUA Assistant Engineer, Mechanical & Metallurgical Technology Division, SETSCO

MR STEVEN TEU CIHUA, aged 36, is contact with something that an airplane part worth tens of a very precise man — with a margin Setsco Services (SETSCO) had thousands of dollars. of error no larger than a tenth of a tested or inspected, in part or whole. hair’s thickness. “It’s a very small part, no one on the From food stuff to clothing, glass plane would see it, but dimensional It is his job, but over time, he walls to brick walls, SETSCO measurement work is like that, has made it part of himself. He has done it all. In fact, the test secret, hidden, but quite important remembers each course he has and inspection centre has been and useful,” he said. attended since he joined the providing services such as testing, Company in 2011, refers to each calibration and inspection of That is the pressure but also the piece of machinery by its full name high precision and engineering thrill of his work — to see how (“the universal length machine” parts for the aerospace, building each part, no matter how small, and the “dial gauge calibrator”) and construction, electronics, contributes to the smooth working and once spent more than two oil and gas, pharmaceutical and of the whole. hours polishing a work table to a petrochemical industries for more perfect flatness. than 30 years. “What I do will affect the lives of hundreds of people on each flight. “Anyone can go for a course, but Accredited by the There is no room for error.” The you make it part of your eye, your Accreditation Council under its value of his work, he says, lies in the hand, the way you think — that’s Singapore Laboratory Accreditation lives of the people who rely on the what makes a difference,” he said. Scheme, SETSCO is one of small but vital component holding Singapore’s largest specialist up against the strongest of tests. test centres. It was acquired by What I do will affect ComfortDelGro through its listed With so much riding on passing the subsidiary, VICOM, in January 2003. quality tests, are there customers the lives of hundreds of who pressurise him to pass the As an assistant engineer in components and parts of machines people on each flight. the Calibration Department, when sending them for inspections? Steven’s work lies in certifying the dimensional measurement of “Of course, everyone wants their Steven works for a part of parts and components. They can parts or components to pass. But I ComfortDelGro that is not often in be big parts or small components. have to tell them — the value of this the public eye but whose work is Regardless of the size, they are certificate is that people must trust no less important than some of its all important. it — if you cut corners, close one more “popular” sister companies. In eye, what is the point? All it takes is fact, look around you and chances He recently performed a one failure, and your name is gone,” are that you might have come in dimensional measurement on he said.

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF COMFORTDELGRO 81 OUR PEOPLE, OUR SKILLS

was no way the trains were going CALM UNDER to run,” says Ms Chan. And as the buses rolled out, the investigators worked feverishly to PRESSURE find out what was wrong. It was eventually learnt that a stainless steel U-shaped bolt holding the cantilever arm of the overhead power cables had snapped, causing the power wires to bend out of alignment.

When Yoke Foon joined SBS Transit 16 years ago, she was the only female Traffic Controller. Today, she remains the only female Chief Controller in the NEL OCC. “I work well with colleagues and have never been made to feel that gender was a hindrance in the railway industry, even though it may be male-dominated,” she says.

IN THE POLICE FORCE, ONE IS “When I joined the Company, I had Working in the high pressure and TAUGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF no idea about driverless trains, or complex operational nerve centre BEING CALM, COLLECTED AND railway operations. But even under may seem a strange choice for an COMPOSED DURING A CRISIS. very heavy pressure, I knew how to English graduate who loves Jane These lifelong skills certainly came work through information, how to Austen, (and still watches Downton in handy one cold morning in March weigh pros and cons, I knew how Abbey) but for Ms Chan, it was a 2012, when North East Line (NEL) to decide,” says Yoke Foon. happy accident. Operations Control Centre (OCC) Senior Manager, Ms Chan Yoke So that fateful morning, she “Initially it was the attraction of the Foon, was in the midst of her shift. applied the same cool procedures. stability of a big local transport player, but I grew with the “It was past 4am and there was a She decided she had to stop Company. Over time, I found that power trip between HarbourFront trains from running between its philosophy was in line with my and Outram stations. We couldn’t HarbourFront and Dhoby Ghaut own workstyle and personality,” get it back up so one of the guys set stations, rang the Head of she says. out on foot to do a manual check. Department for Traffic who then got permission from the Chief Nowadays, Yoke Foon also spends “A short way into the tunnel, he Executive Officer to activate the her time inspiring and mentoring saw smoke. I told him to stop at bridging buses. These were the staff in the control room. once and turn back. I immediately buses to ferry commuters between activated the Singapore Civil the affected stations. “The demands of the job are high, Defence Force,” she recalled. we are running 33 trains, and By 5am, the tunnels had been close to 40km both bounds. In Yoke Foon, who had seen six years swept, the lack of connectivity the meantime, young people are of tough police operations, also at determined, and buses on standby talking about ‘work life balance’ the operations command centre, to roll out if train services were not after 10 months of work. So it is a remained calm and collected. up by 5.42am. matter of mentoring them, making She had learnt the art of making adjustments and helping them rational, cool decisions in the heat of “I knew by then that there was no see the meaning of what we do,” complex operations. fire, despite the smoke, but there she says.

82 A GLOBAL GROUP Even under very heavy pressure, I knew how to work through information, how to weigh pros and cons, I knew how to decide.

MS CHAN YOKE FOON Senior Manager, NEL OCC, SBS Transit

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84 A GLOBAL GROUP THREE MEN AND THEIR BABIES

THE YEAR OF THE ROOSTER “I am the one who designs the BEGAN A FEW MONTHS EARLY structure in my head, how it FOR AH SIANG, WILLY AND should stand, what materials ANSON. work best to hold it up. So, I can build a rough outline and tell the Willy These three men, with more team how to move forward.” than six decades of experience between them, are behind some Mr Anson Cheah, 44, who has a MR WILLY CHAI WEE MENG (LEFT) of the most iconic advertising diploma in Commercial Art and Prop Artist/Illustrator, Moove Media structures in Singapore. From the Graphic Design, is the Artist. delicate filigree of a Peranakan “I think of the curves, the colour shoe, to the clever visual wink of and the texture. For this project, a beer bottle delivering a drink I stared at the rooster’s jowl for a to a bus commuter, these prop long time, wondering how to get artists have assembled a dazzling it to look hard, yet life-like.” He array of installations. has 13 years behind him. Anson So when they were asked at the Mr Willy Chai Wee Meng, 43, end of 2016, to produce a giant who worked as a carpenter, is MR ANSON CHEAH (MIDDLE) rooster, the height of two men, the Chemist. “For more than 20 Prop Artist/Illustrator, Moove Media with the realistic touch and feel years, I’ve worked with all kinds of feathers, they immediately of materials — putty, chemicals, asked themselves: “How can we moulds, anything you have in work together?” mind, I can make it. I am also the problem-solver — whenever Because, although all three of we are stuck, I always have them bear the same title — “prop something new to try.” artist and illustrator”, each has a special skill. All three joined the Company Simon as technicians in 2007, when Mr Simon Lim See Siang, or Ah Ah Siang first made the move. MR SIMON LIM SEE SIANG (RIGHT) Siang, 49, the oldest and most Within months, he gave a call experienced, is the Engineer. He to both Anson and Willy, telling Chief Prop Artist/Illustrator, Moove Media has been doing sculpting and them this was a place where the outdoor installations for 30 years. three of them could grow.

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF COMFORTDELGRO 85 OUR PEOPLE, OUR SKILLS

Ten years ago, he said, the giant about S$1,000 and took the rooster would have been a team 20 days to complete — just straightforward project — carved in time to form the centrepiece out of styrofoam, some basic of ComfortDelGro’s Chinese support structures, and a few New Year celebrations. coats of paint. “Surprisingly, it turned out to be very hardy, and everyone liked it so much that we kept Moove Media, the advertising arm it,” said Anson, standing next to of ComfortDelGro, was established the rooster which has a home in Moove’s office. in 2005 when Comfort Ads and SBS Transit Advertising combined in a LET THE BEER FLOW merger. Today, Moove finds its canvas Given the larger-than-life nature of these installations, the sheer across 30 cities in seven countries, with weight of some of their projects becomes a challenge. Once, special expertise in outdoor advertising. they had to make a beer bottle that weighed 60kg!

Today however, expectations “We sketched it, got it passed are higher. They pored over the by a professional engineer, skeletal structure of a rooster, and and then worked to build it,” colours and types of different recalls Willy who took the lead chickens and their postures. In in the project. “We also had the end, they decided to make to get approval from the Land the comb and jowl from recycled Transport Authority, because PVC, and to construct the body it stuck out from the top of as a hollow mesh held up by the bus.” thin wooden slits — but it was the feathers that confounded Over the years, all three have the team. obtained different specialised- skills certificates, including Willy tried painting them on, courses that allow them to but the team felt it was not “work-at-height”, for risk sufficiently “three-dimensional”. management as well as for Anson tried carving it from metal scaffold erections. different materials, including a polymer of Willy’s making, but it Sometimes, the project does was not “life-like enough”. not require specific skills, but just fresh ideas. In the end, they opted for a simple solution — buy large Willy recalls the beer feathers off the Internet, trim advertisement, which was them and slice them before visually strong and which he affixing these onto the body. It thought would require a lot of was a simple and cheap solution Anson’s artistic skills. — especially since the rooster was meant to be a temporary “But in the end, there was not installation. In all, the cost was much painting in this project

86 A GLOBAL GROUP “Anything out of the ordinary that you see on a bus, train or taxi — that’s probably us.”

Mr Simon Lim See Siang, Chief Prop Artist/Illustrator, Moove Media

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF COMFORTDELGRO 87 OUR PEOPLE, OUR SKILLS

88 A GLOBAL GROUP The trio sees their strength as consisting of their unique skill sets, their ability to work well together, and their desire to push the boundaries of their craft.

— it’s all printed and pasted. This time, the project required all The art is to make people, who of Anson’s skill in the arts. look at this advertisement, see the beer flowing, the effect “We only had a photo to of the froth and beer coming work with, no idea what the out,” he said. Much of this was materials felt like, or their three- accomplished by spray-painting dimensional look — for example, and airbrushing, including the there was a tassel that we think droplets of water condensation. was made of silk, but we couldn’t use that for the display, which Anson, who had cast the mould was to be mounted on the top for the fibreglass bottles, called of a bus. So, we had to count on the finished product “little pieces Anson to create the illusion,” said of art”. “So, I was very sad that in Ah Siang. the end, we had to take them off, and recycle them.” The challenge was to make a giant, weather-proof shoe He accepts this as part of the that reflected the delicate look ephemeral nature of his work. and feel of silk shoes and gold “Advertising means we make threads. So the team used metal an impact, but only for a short plates, foam balls, plaster — and time,” said Anson who won lots of imagination. The beads the first prize of a sculpting were made of styrofoam, the competition in Malaysia in 2015. folds of the cloth were mere tricks of light and shadow, “We try to enjoy each piece as and the embroidery was mesh much as possible while it lasts,” and netting. he said. The trio sees their strength as consisting of their unique skill IF THE SHOE FITS sets, their ability to work well together, and their desire to push The largest labour of love, he the boundaries of their craft. said, was a pair of shoes. “You won’t believe it — but just one “We see new materials, new shoe took a month to make. demands from clients all the Luckily, they wanted only one time. We learn from each other, pair!” he said. Ah Siang added and we learn from seeing how laughing, “So many small details things work. Most of all, we learn we nearly went blind!” from the clients pushing the boundaries of advertising.” The clients were experts in embroidery and beadwork. The “Anything out of the ordinary project was to build a large pair that you see on a bus, train of Peranakan shoes, otherwise or taxi — that’s probably us,” known as kasut manek, for an Ah Siang beamed. exhibition of nyonya needlework, at the museum.

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF COMFORTDELGRO 89 BEYOND THE NUMBERS MANAGEMENT IS A SKILL

IN THE 23 YEARS THAT I’VE ComfortDelGro Taxi Booking BEEN WITH COMFORTDELGRO, App into Chinese. As a result, I’VE SEEN IT ALL. Cut throat commuters can now make competition, changes in hassle-free bookings on regulation, rising consumer the app. expectations and an evolving workforce. I see my job as making systems work with people. A corporate Amidst all these changes, organisation is a living organism the most significant must — you need to be sure that it surely be the advent of new has a good relationship with technologies which has the local environment, including transformed the entire way the the government, other taxi industry operates. companies, and the consumers.

New technologies require Management is a skill. Like any new responses — in Jilin, the other, it can be improved and Company itself has radically learned. Part of my training restructured from a traditional involved obtaining the ‘General “pyramid” organisational Manager Certificate’ for large structure to a flat one, which and medium transportation improved our efficiency and companies in Shenzhen City. market competitiveness. I learned how to fully combine With advances in artificial ComfortDelGro’s taxi operation intelligence, my job will also philosophy in Singapore with transform from a traditional actual taxi market conditions enterprise manager to a in China. In Jilin, I was able to modern one. New technologies expand the operations of the bring new opportunities. Company, turning it from a loss- making unit into a profit centre. For example, with the growing reliance on ride-hailing services, Today, it is the largest taxi we translated Singapore’s company in .

90 A GLOBAL GROUP I see my job as making systems work with people. Xi Peng MR NI XI PENG General Manager, Jilin ComfortDelGro TaxI Mr Ni Xi Peng, 66, has given over two decades of his life to ComfortDelGro, making him the longest serving staff in the North China Business Unit.

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF COMFORTDELGRO 91 OUR PEOPLE, OUR SKILLS

92 A GLOBAL GROUP FROM SOUTH AFRICA TO

Daniel MR DANIEL JACOBUS ELLIS Bus Captain, SBS Transit Bus Captain Daniel Jacobus Ellis, originally from South Africa, has been driving for SBS Transit since April 2017.

“GOEIE MORE” IS SOMETHING The 34-year-old, who is and parcel of our entire Group. YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO originally from South Africa, With operations in seven HEAR IN PRETORIA RATHER has been driving for SBS Transit countries, we employ a broad THAN . since April 2017. mix of nationalities. Of our 22,000 staff, Singaporeans The phrase (pronounced “ho- BC Ellis had been working as a account for 28 per cent, yah mo-ra”) means “good freelance business analyst but Malaysians 21 per cent, British morning” in Afrikaans, but wanted a steady job. “I saw an citizens 14 per cent, and Singaporeans hopping on advertisement at the LRT station Australians and Chinese, 10 per bus service 27 might hear a advertising positions for bus cent each. cheery “goeie more” from SBS captains, and I thought to myself, Transit Bus Captain (BC) Daniel ‘Why not give it a try?’” he said. We believe that strength Jacobus Ellis. comes from having a diverse Commuters on bus service 27, workforce and we are working which is a loop service that hard to ensure that our We believe that strength starts in Hougang Central and hiring processes are fair and comes from having a runs through Punggol, meritocratic. And while 86 per and before cent of our employees are men diverse workforce and heading back to Hougang Bus because driving heavy vehicles Interchange, say that BC Ellis, has historically been a male we are working hard to who is now a Singapore citizen, domain, this is fast changing. is polite and courteous. Thanks to the advent of ensure that our hiring technology, brute strength It may seem a little unusual to is not as important anymore processes are fair see a Caucasian bus captain and the proportion of women in Singapore, but mixed in the workforce has been and meritocratic. nationalities are actually part increasing over the years.

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF COMFORTDELGRO 93 OUR PEOPLE, OUR SKILLS ONE UNITED TEAM

SINCE I WAS A LITTLE BOY minimal natural light. In 2012, different drive line. My guiding WATCHING MY FATHER WORKING I oversaw the relocation of principle is to focus on outcomes ON HIS OLD CARS, I’ve always the workshop and worked and I rolled up my sleeves been trying to work out what hard to ensure that physical and worked hard next to my was wrong with cars if they assets were moved and a colleagues to get the job done. weren’t running smoothly. I was new workshop established sort of an (unpaid) apprentice from scratch, without a In late 2017, I moved into the to my father, who wanted me to reduction in the quality of newly created role of Workshop become a mechanic. maintenance services. Manager for our brand new Wyndham Depot, where the This childhood dream carried Moving to the new depot was maintenance team is twice me through to becoming an a great experience, with more the size of Oakleigh’s. I’m Apprentice Mechanic with space and light, and overall, a very excited about moving ComfortDelGro Corporation great feel to it. The move itself to the new depot. The plans Australia (CDC). I later wasn’t too much of a challenge for the workshop have been obtained my Diesel Mechanic but right after it, we took over thoughtfully considered, and this qualifications while on the operations of another route depot is a special place, built job. I rose through the ranks, service and had to integrate the for purpose. becoming a mechanic, then new and existing teams — in the second-in-charge for the addition to getting used to a I’m looking forward to Oakleigh site, and then Foreman. completely different fleet. working with members of the maintenance team that I had That workshop at the I worked to integrate the worked with so many years ago, old Oakleigh Depot was work of the two teams, and and bringing together the two affectionately known as ‘The also became proficient in depots and creating one Dungeon’, a small space with maintaining vehicles with a united team.

94 A GLOBAL GROUP My guiding principle is to focus on outcomes and to roll up my sleeves and work hard next to my colleagues to get the job done. Atik MR ABDUL ATIK Workshop Manager, Wyndham Depot Mr Abdul Atik, 41, has been with CDC for over 20 years and he is now the Workshop Manager at Wyndham Depot. CDC Victoria provides essential bus transport across the western and eastern suburbs of .

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF COMFORTDELGRO 95 OUR PEOPLE, OUR SKILLS

96 A GLOBAL GROUP PLANNING AND STRATEGISING

Tia See

MS HENG TIA SEE Senior Manager, Fleet Operations, ComfortDelGro Taxi Ms Heng Tia See, 57, joined the Company as a clerk with just an ‘O’ Level certificate in 1985. Today, she is Senior Manager, Fleet Operations, at ComfortDelGro Taxi responsible for planning and strategising the expansion of the operating fleet.

WHEN I JOINED THE COMPANY, guidance of my supervisors learning for me as over the I had no background in and colleagues, I was able to do course of my career, I have been operations and I was put to well in my different roles and through major changes including doing clerical work. In those progress in my career. the merger. days, everything was pen and paper, so I had a lot to learn with I learnt how to deal with I have been with the Company not much time. customers and about delivering for most of my life, and service quality — this helped witnessed its growth over the me deal with hirers and external years. I see my job as fulfilling As the industry transforms, parties like the Land Transport two main tasks. First, I monitor Authority, Traffic Police, Housing the portion of the fleet that is with the advent of new and Development Board and not hired to ensure that overall Urban Redevelopment Authority. taxi revenue can be maximised. technologies — this focus on As I gained more responsibility, At the same time, I take care of I also attended courses to learn the welfare of the cabbies. people is something that I to interpret data and work with figures. That’s always been true from the hope will never change. first day I joined the Company In addition, I learned — and even as the industry about business continuity transforms, with the advent of In this industry, you can management, enterprise risk new technologies — this focus never stand still, things are management and internal on people is something that I always moving. Thanks to the auditing. This was not just book- hope will never change.

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THE HUMAN TOUCH WHEN MR MOHAMED JEFFRY BIN RABARDI JOINED ComfortDelGro Rent-A-Car at the tender age of 23, he was painfully shy, with no special skills to speak of.

He did, however, have a driving licence and a whole lot of enthusiasm. As it turns out, that was all that was needed to get him started on a career which has now entered its 14th year.

“Before I joined the Company, I was a despatch driver for a brief period. How different could it be? I thought Jeffry it was just delivering cars to different people. But I was wrong! It is about delivering a service, the car is just MR MOHAMED JEFFRY BIN RABARDI something that you rely on to make a Team Leader, Operations, ComfortDelGro Rent-A-Car difference in service,” he says.

98 A GLOBAL GROUP The test was to come — just a “I always thought I was a very careful couple of months into the job. driver but I only had 14 points on my first try at the defensive driving test! He delivered a car to a customer You need 18 to pass,” he said, almost who was very unhappy with it. embarrassed. Young Jeffry could not appease the customer so he called his supervisor As professional drivers, defensive on his week-old handphone. driving is a key skill and one that Jeffry makes sure he is always A few minutes went by and the honing. “For other people, it may be customer was clearly unhappy. just a way to get around. For us, it’s Before he knew what was going on, our job so we better know how to the man flung Jeffry’s handphone drive extra well, to take extra care.” on the floor. He also goes the extra mile by taking Jeffry’s heart broke just as the basic classes in car repair — not that handphone screen became he would ever need to repair cars smithereens. but so that he can answer questions better. “Sometimes I get questions “What could I do? I was very angry like — why is there this noise? What but I told myself to stay calm, don’t part of the car is being repaired?” react,” he recalled. In the end the He likes to know enough about the Company sent his handphone for internals of a car to answer these repair and paid for it. questions. But sometimes, even such technical knowledge is not enough, This is a story that he tells to like the day he received a call from a newcomers to the Company, as part lady who just returned a car. of his work as a trainer and a Team In the future, there Leader. The message? “Always “She called me and said she wanted will be automated remain calm, no matter how bad her 10 CDs from the player. I know the situation gets. You represent this car very well — there is a rotation cars, but never the Company and its reputation of only six CDs that you can store, so make sure you hold your head but the lady said she has been automated people — up high.” driving that car for four years, there were always 10 CDs!” and it is dealing with Jeffry, who is now 37, is no longer the young, inexperienced rookie. So he sent the car to the workshop — people that makes which found only six CDs. “I would never have thought, my job special. shy, awkward me, a trainer!” says “She kept asking — ‘Where are my 10 Jeffry, laughing. Now a father CDS?’. And I wanted to tell her: ‘How of one, he has come a long can you get 10 CDs out of a six CD way, learning computer skills, rack?’ But I kept my cool. In the end, effective communication as well her husband explained to her –‘There as more technical skills such as has always been just six CDs’. And defensive driving. I laughed.”

The last is an essential skill for He sees his work as being with someone who is on the road people, not automobiles. sometimes, five to six hours a day. The car he trained in “In the future, there will be automated is like a hedgehog — full of cars, but never automated people mounted cameras to catch the — and it is dealing with people that slightest mistake. makes my job special,” he says.

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF COMFORTDELGRO 99 OUR PEOPLE, OUR SKILLS GOING THE DISTANCE

I JOINED THE COMPANY IN to ensure that the financial data 2001 WHEN WE SOLD TICKETS is accurate. That, together with MANUALLY. Now we sell tickets good data analysis, means we online and use WeChat for can ensure good corporate payments. We even send out governance, lower production e-invoices to customers who costs, increase profits and purchase their tickets via improve efficiency. WeChat, a first in the industry. Tianhe is the starting point Thanks to automation and for long journeys — we know technology, productivity at the the importance of going bus station has really improved the distance. Technology and things have become more and artificial intelligence convenient for passengers too. keep improving, but you will always need the expertise of As a manager in the Finance a finance manager to analyse Department, I help to manage figures and make appropriate the Company’s assets, control recommendations. I, too, will the budget and carry out keep improving — it is the human supervised checks. It’s my job spirit that goes the distance.

100 A GLOBAL GROUP I, too, will keep improving — it is the human spirit that goes the distance. Liu Ying

MS LIU YING Senior Supervisor Finance, Guangzhou Xin Tian Wei Transportation Development Co, Ltd Ms Liu Ying, 42, is a Senior Supervisor in the Finance Department of Guangzhou Xin Tian Wei Transportation Development Co., Ltd, which manages the Tianhe Bus Station, that serves long- distance buses in Guangzhou. In 2016, some 12.2 million passengers transited there.

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF COMFORTDELGRO 101 OUR PEOPLE, OUR SKILLS

THE BASICS

I’VE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN MECHANICAL THINGS. I used to work on and race motorcycles at trials when I was 11 years old, at school. I still build my own motorcycles from scratch. I build them for racing and pleasure, and for other people to ride.

I love the engineering behind Martin the machines.

MR MARTIN TOMKINS After completing my ‘O’ levels Level 3 Engineer, at school, I went on to do an Mr Martin Tomkins (right), 60, is a Level 3 Engineer at Metroline’s engineering apprenticeship in Central Engineering and Logistics Facility. Metroline is the second largest public bus operator in London and has more than 1,700 1974 and qualified at Paddington buses operating out of 14 garages in north west London. Technical College after five

102 A GLOBAL GROUP years. As an apprentice, I worked machines to sophisticated, and studied under the last technical and innovative steam locomotive engineers in engines. Sometimes the the industry. solution itself can be very complex, other times it might I also studied under Royal Air need you to craft a steel bar Force (RAF) engine fitters who and use a lump of wood, served during the Second World but using the basics, being War keeping the fighter planes creative and hands-on, has battle ready. When I retire, I always helped. hope to volunteer and work on historic RAF war planes. Over the years, I’ve completed numerous manufacturer- Interestingly, as a first-year approved training, Ministry For me, engineering is apprentice back in 1974, we of Transport training and a about problem-solving. never touched or went near a number of specific, tailor-made bus the whole year. Instead we Metroline training courses. The industry in general, worked the milling machines, lathes, surface grinders, shapers Day-to-day, I carry out a wide and buses specifically, and learned welding; it was very range of engineering repairs. have gone from very hands-on, learning how to make My job also includes vehicle things, learning the skills needed inspection, fault rectification, basic machines to before touching a bus. If we and giving advice and technical didn’t have the tool we needed, guidance to colleagues and sophisticated, technical we were able to make it. engineering apprentices. and innovative engines. This mindset taught us to be As I am getting older and have Sometimes the solution creative, to look for solutions, more experience, a large focus and it gave me skills that have is passing on my knowledge to itself can be very been invaluable throughout my those learning the trade and complex, other times career. To this day, we might developing their careers. be faced with a significant it might need you to challenge, but with these skills You have to be willing to work craft a steel bar and use and mindset, we can diagnose hard to understand the changes and solve the problem, keeping we are facing in this industry a lump of wood, but the fleet moving. and approach challenges with a learning mind. You never stop using the basics, being For me, engineering is about learning. Always be prepared to creative and hands-on problem-solving. The industry in evolve with developments, but general, and buses specifically, never lose sight of the basics has always helped. have gone from very basic and common sense.

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