PASSION! 2012 Booklet

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ComfortDelGro Corporation Limited An annual publication to honour our people ISSUE 2012 MICA (P) 172/04/2012

CONTENTS

MD’S MESSAGE OUR PEOPLE, OUR PASSION BE OUR NEXT PASSION! WINNER

MD’S MESSAGE

Dear Colleagues, The passion we wish in our people continues to shine very brightly. Passion keeps us going, overcomes obstacles, fuels creativity and inspires others.

Passion distinguishes the extraordinary from the ordinary.

And indeed, these are the traits that have set our Passion! Award winners – Guangzhou Xin Tian Wei’s Cai Baichuan (left in top photograph) and ComfortDelGro Engineering’s Liew Yit Tee (right in bottom photograph) – as examples for others.

Baichuan, who has been with our bus station in Guangzhou for 14 years, is the personification of passion. In all his time with us, he has never taken leave during the Lunar New Year period even when everyone else does. His rationale is simple:

How can I go on leave when the station is at its busiest?

Similarly driven, Yit Tee is living proof that you can overcome all obstacles even without high paper qualifications. Yit Tee met challenge after challenge head on to become where he is today.

Special Awards also go to Metroline’s Tej Pun and ComfortDelGro Driving Centre’s Danny Lek, both of whom have shown outstanding commitment and perseverance.

Please join me in congratulating all our Passion! Award winners and nominees, and may they continue to inspire us all!

Warmest Regards Kua Hong Pak

OUR PEOPLE, OUR PASSION

2012 PASSION! AWARD WINNER

“I don’t think it is a sacrifice at all. It is a very busy time of the year and it would not be right for me to just take leave and enjoy myself when there is so much to do.”

CAI BAICHUAN / 34 Assistant Operations Manager Guangzhou Xin Tian Wei Transportation Development Length of Service: 14 years Awards: Named “Good Samaritan” by local media Named Model Transport Worker by the Guangzhou Transportation Commi­ee

2012 PASSION! AWARD WINNER

I

t is no secret that the Lunar New Year period is a special one for Chinese the world over. This is especially so in China where families gather together to feast and celebrate “Golden Week” – when the nation practically goes into shut-down mode and hordes of people travel cross-country to return to their hometowns.

All except Cai Baichuan, Assistant Operations Manager at Guangzhou Xin Tian Wei who, for the past 14 years, has volunteered to forego his leave during this period to make sure that operations at the bus station run like clockwork.

“I don’t think it is a sacrifice at all. It is a very busy time of the year and it would not be right for me to just take leave and enjoy myself when there is so much to do,” said the 34-year-old, father of one.

And indeed, there is always much to be done during this festive peak.

Once, a passenger overslept at the station and missed his bus ride home. To make matters worse, his bag had already been loaded onto the bus. Baichuan not only managed to retrieve his luggage, he also booked the passenger a seat on another bus the next day.

On another occasion, Baichuan observed that many passengers were hesitant to get on the bus

OUR PEOPLE, OUR PASSION

bound for Gaozhou in Guangdong Province. He realised that they were trying to avoid an elderly passenger who was already on board. The old man was very unkempt and looked and smelt like he had not showered in days. Baichuan quietly helped the old man aside, brought him to the restroom to have a nice warm shower and then proceeded to give him a set of brand new clean clothes. He then made arrangements for the old man to get on the next bus home.

Talk about an exceptional spirit. And an exceptional man.

OUR PEOPLE, OUR PASSION

2012 PASSION! AWARD WINNER

Yit Tee’s desire to always want to do better is something we all can learn from.

LIEW YIT TEE / 39 Automotive Maintenance Supervisor ComfortDelGro Engineering, Singapore Length of Service: 11 years Awards: NTUC May Day Model Partnership Award 2012 (Individual Category) Big Idea 2011 (Gold award) Big Idea 2011 (Bronze award)

2012 PASSION! AWARD WINNER

C

OUR PEOPLE, OUR PASSION

omfortDelGro Engineering’s Liew Yit Tee is living, breathing proof that you are never limited by what you did yesterday.

The 39-year-old started off his career in the Company a decade ago as an automotive technician. At that time, he had hardly any paper qualifications and could barely speak English.

But that did not deter him from taking on challenge after challenge.

In fact, in 2004, Yit Tee was asked if he wanted to take on a frontline position requiring him to deal with customers on a daily basis.

Significantly, it also meant being able to converse effectively in English – something which he was not comfortable doing. Yit Tee picked up the gauntlet and enrolled himself in English night classes. Today, he speaks English effortlessly.

Yit Tee has also initiated several measures that have resulted in savings for the Company. For

example, in 2009, he suggested that the Hyundai Sonata taxi engine be partially overhauled and parts replaced as a preventive measure against engine failure. This reduced the number of engine failures by 25%, and resulted in total savings of over S$560,000 annually.

Yit Tee’s desire to always want to do better is something we all can learn from. And something worth applauding.

OUR PEOPLE, OUR PASSION

2012 SPECIAL AWARD WINNER

W

hen snow fell knee deep on top of the hill on Tanfield Avenue in January this year, about 10 buses belonging to bus services 182, 232 and 245 were severely disrupted and came to a complete halt.

TEj PUN / 56 PCV Bus Driver Metroline, United Kingdom Length of Service: 5 years

The hapless drivers sat in their buses, waiting for help to arrive – all except one.

Tej Pun, who operates bus service 182, jumped out of his bus into the freezing cold and borrowed a shovel from one of the residents in the area. He started digging – in sub-zero temperatures. Motivated, the other drivers joined in. After a gruelling one-and-a-half hour of painstaking digging, the knee-deep snow was cleared, buses freed and services safely resumed.

This “never-say-die” attitude came to the fore once again when Tej was tasked to take on rail replacement duty. It was something he had never done before. Determined not to slip up on the job, Tej took it upon himself to research as much as he could about the route. He went online, downloaded photos of critical junctions and produced his own high-quality route maps as reference. As a result, he aced the job. In fact, his route maps were so impressive that the Company later used them as templates for other drivers!

2012 SPECIAL AWARD WINNER

D

anny Lek is proof that age is no measure of passion.

DANNY LEK / 25 Student Affairs Officer ComfortDelGro Driving Centre, Singapore Length of Service: 2.5 years

OUR PEOPLE, OUR PASSION

The 25-year-old has been with ComfortDelGro Driving Centre for less than three years but has already garnered a sizeable fan base.

As a student affairs officer, Danny’s primary role is to look after the needs of the Driving School’s learner drivers – a task he excels in. To him, no problem is ever too small or too insignificant.

Neither is there an issue that cannot be resolved.

Once, Danny came across a case of a learner driver with a medical condition. He had a nagging suspicion that the learner would have problems applying for a driving test with the Traffic Police and advised him to obtain a medical report from a gazetted Government Hospital. He did so and was able to apply for the test with no hassle – saving the learner a lot of time and unnecessary grief.

On a similar occasion, Danny alerted a 65-year-old learner who urgently needed a driving licence for his job about the need to be certified “medically fit” by a medical practitioner before he could sit for the test. Again, Danny’s pre-emptive advice helped create a happy end.

OUR PEOPLE, OUR PASSION

2012 OUTSTANDING NOMINEES

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ftentimes, when you’ve been doing the same job for many years, you run the risk of complacency and becoming jaded. Not so for Senior Bus Driver Darko Krizmanic.

The 63-year-old started out as a yardman with ComfortDelGro Cabcharge over three decades ago – and has never grown tired of his job. In fact, he is as passionate about it today as he was when he first clocked in all those years ago.

A case in point: the Company wanted to know if there was a more effective way to clean the buses in the depot. Darko took it upon himself, leading a team of similar-minded colleagues, and came back on their days off to conduct detailed studies. Darko not only took to sweeping the floors of the buses, but also handwashed the windows – inside and out – to find the best and most effective way to get them spotless.

DARKO KRIZMANIC / 63 Senior Bus Driver and Union Representative ComfortDelGro Cabcharge, Australia Length of Service: 34 years

As a bus driver, Darko received several compliments for his service. Said a customer of Darko: “I bring my son to school every morning on this bus and he never runs late. He is very polite and a pleasure to travel with…an asset to the Company.”

2012 OUTSTANDING NOMINEES

OUR PEOPLE, OUR PASSION

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leary-eyed commuters travelling on board the Night Ride service bus are always happy to see Bus Driver Goran Tisma behind the wheel.

The 30-year-old’s friendly disposition, willingness to lend a helping hand to one and all, as well as smooth driving skills make him a popular choice amongst party-goers. In fact, regular night owls have treated him cups of coffee as a token of appreciation.

Goran, who loves driving the midnight shift, isn’t just about smiles and pleasantries. He puts in a lot of effort to ensure that his passengers are well taken care of. For example, when the Night Ride service was centralised from three depots to just one in April 2010, Goran helped provide valuable feedback to Management by creating Excel sheets detailing bus movements and loading capacity so that adjustments could be made to cater to demand.

GORAN TISMA / 30 Bus Driver ComfortDelGro Cabcharge, Australia Length of Service: 5 years

His feedback also came in handy when he wrote directly to the Minister of Transport, outlining operational issues, suggesting to beef up security for drivers at bus stops and on buses, and proposing to increase the frequency of buses at key City locations to meet high passenger demand. As a result of his petition and with the support of Management, Goran took it upon himself to trial extra services until they were eventually added and the Night Ride bus service became safer.

OUR PEOPLE, OUR PASSION

2012 OUTSTANDING NOMINEES

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hat would you do if you witnessed two men hijacking another driver of her Mercedes Benz sports car while she was still in it?

Other passers-by would have fled the scene in fear but not Cabby He Jian Guang.

HE jIAN GUANG / 30 Taxi Driver Nanning Comfort Transportation, China Length of Service: 5 years Awards: Best Driver by the Nanning Transport Bureau National Courageous Driver at the “Kun Lun” Awards ceremony Five-Star Driver Award by Nanning Comfort Transportation Co., Ltd

The civic-minded cabby saw the men handcuff the lady driver and push her into her car. He knew something was amiss and immediately sprung into action. He called the Police and made his way to the nearest police station to report the matter, but luck would have it that he chanced upon a police patrol car on the way. Together they went back to the scene and intercepted the robbers. Cabby He even pinned one of the robbers down despite his small build.

The 30-year-old driver, who has been with the Company for five years, has since been hailed a hero for thwarting the robbers’ hijack attempt. He was also named one of top 60 national courageous drivers at the National “Kun Lun” Awards ceremony, and bestowed the “Five-Star Driver Award” by the Company.

2012 OUTSTANDING NOMINEES

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s there such a thing as being “too generous”?

OUR PEOPLE, OUR PASSION

Some may think ComfortDelGro Savico cabby Nguyen Tan Hung falls under that category – but ask any of his fellow colleagues and they will tell you his big-hearted nature is what sets him apart from the common man.

Once, Tan Hung found out that a fellow cabby was facing financial difficulties and had not been able to pay his daily rental. Without a moment’s hesitation, Tan Hung forked out 3 million VND (S$1,800) of his own money to help settle the debt. He didn’t ask questions; he didn’t need to.

That generosity of spirit extends to all aspects of Tan Hung’s life. He is always more than willing to share stories of his experiences with his team during their monthly meetings so that they can become “good taxi drivers” too.

“I remind them to work hard and follow company policies. I share how we should listen patiently and explain the situation politely when we encounter nasty passengers,” he said.

NGUYEN TAN HUNG / 43 Taxi Driver ComfortDelGro Savico Taxi, Vietnam Length of Service: 7 years Awards: Outstanding Taxi Driver Award 2011

OUR PEOPLE, OUR PASSION

2012 OUTSTANDING NOMINEES

S

ometimes, it’s not the big, grandious gestures that matter – but the small ones that come from the heart.

SEE CHIP YEW / 44 Senior Bus Captain SBS Transit, Singapore

Just ask Senior Bus Captain See Chip Yew. To him, acting with sincerity is a way of life, requiring no extra effort.

“We can conquer job pressures by developing a compassionate, forgiving heart. After doing it daily, these things become natural.”

This sums up Chip Yew’s service philosphy. Although just five years into the job, Chip Yew has touched the hearts of many of his passengers, garnering some 102 compliments over the years. In fact, he has become known as the Bus Captain who greets every single passenger who boards his bus – with a cheery smile and a thank you.

Chip Yew’s pleasant disposition has also made him very popular with elderly passengers – he thinks nothing of getting out of his seat and helping them up or down the bus, even though he is not required to nor is he expected to. In fact, he has even gone beyond the call of duty many times by helping the elderly pay for their fare when they don’t have enough money.

Besides being helpful, Chip Yew is also very principled.

Length of Service: 5.5 years Awards: 2009 Excellent Service Award (Silver) 2010 Transport Gold 2010 “Kindness Movement” Award 2011 Excellent Service Award (Star)

Once, he accidentally miscalculated the bus fare that a commuter had to pay. By the time he realised his mistake, the passenger had already gone to the upper deck. Instead of forgetting about the 20 cents that had been overcharged, Chip Yew went after the passenger and refunded the 20 cents to him – out of his own pocket. In righting a wrong, he won over a customer for life.

2012 OUTSTANDING NOMINEES

F

or some people, two hundred dollars may not seem like much but to a cabby, it is the equivalent of two days’ earnings – two days of driving around an average of 12 hours a day looking for fares.

YEOW CHUWEE LAM / 58 Taxi Driver CityCab, Singapore Length of Service: 18 years Awards: Transport Gold Award 2011 – Kindness Champion

OUR PEOPLE, OUR PASSION

Which is why it is so heartwarming to hear of a cabby who would willingly lend a stranger such an amount simply because she forgot her wallet.

The incident took place in July 2011. Cabby Yeow Chuwee Lam, who has been with the Group for over 18 years, had picked up a lady passenger and her family. Halfway through the journey, she suddenly realised that she had left practically all of her money and bank cards at home. She immediately asked Cabby Yeow if he could turn back and head to her home instead so that she could get her wallet.

To her surprise, Cabby Yeow took out S$200 from his own wallet and offered it to her for grocery shopping. He even sent the family home two and a half hours later, helped them carry the groceries, and conveyed the lady passenger to the nearest ATM to withdraw money.

When she wanted to tip him on top of the taxi fare and money he had lent, Cabby Yeow declined. He said: “I wanted to save her the hassle of detouring back. Since I had money, I felt compelled to lend her and offered a return journey so that she could have a happy and peaceful grocery shopping trip.”

BE OUR NEXT PASSION! WINNER

Passion resonates throughout the pages of this booklet. The people featured may be separated by continents but they all pulsate with the kind of energy and enthusiasm that sets them apart from the crowd.

We believe that there are many more like them in our Group. Could it be you? Or your colleague? Perhaps your supervisor or your subordinate?

Help us find them and let us all celebrate their achievements.

Printed by Colourscan Co (Pte) Ltd

AWARD A cash prize of S$5,000, a trophy, a free trip* and a framed certificate await our Passion! winner. He/She will receive the Passion! Award at a lunch hosted by ComfortDelGro’s MD/GCEO. The winner’s name will also be engraved on a Hall of Fame plaque which is located in our Singapore headquarters. *Trip includes a pair of economy-class tickets, a two-night hotel stay and a half-day city tour.

ASSESSMENT PERIOD From 1 January 2012 to 31 October 2012

SELECTION CRITERIA In general, areas of consideration are as follows: • Number of service • Safety and security commendations consciousness • Other awards received • Enthusiasm/job interest • Attendance/punctuality • Customer focus • Job competency • Responsibility • Sense of integrity • Special contributions