PASSION! 2014 Booklet

DriveAspirationEnthusiasmDesireZestZealJoy

ExcitementDevotionDedicationVibrancySpiritVerveLoveEnergyDriveAspirationEnthusiasmDesireZestZealJoy

ExcitementDevotionDedicationVibrancySpiritVerveLoveEnergyDriveAspirationEnthusiasmDesireZestZealJoy

ExcitementDevotionDedicationVibrancySpiritVerveLoveEnergyDriveAspirationEnthusiasmDesireZestZealJoy

ExcitementDevotionDedicationVibrancySpiritVerveLoveEnergyDriveAspirationEnthusiasmDesireZestZealJoy

ISSUE 2014 MCI (P) 197/04/2015

An annual publication to honour our people ComfortDelGro Corporation Limited

Dear Colleagues,

For seven years now, we have honoured the best amongst us, the crème de la crème as they say. We have celebrated that burning spirit that spurs us onto greater things, that ensures that we do not slip into mediocrity.

This year, we carry on with this tradition, and pay tribute to those who have worked quietly behind the scenes, diligently seeking neither fame nor recognition. They do so because of the Passion that burns within. Significantly, they do these not because they have to, but because they want to.

Our Passion! Award 2014 winner, Jimmy Chan Kim Teck, Chief Instructor of ComfortDelGro Driving Centre, is a shining example of one who excels – quietly and away from the public eye, taking on projects and staying on after-hours just to finish them even though he need not have to.

Other nominees have also exhibited great commitment and drive, all wanting to be the best that they can be.

In my mind, that makes them all winners. Certainly, as a Group, we have much to be proud of. Please join me in congratulating Jimmy and all our nominees.

Warmest Regards

Kua Hong Pak

Passion! Winner, Chan Kim Teck, Jimmy (second from left), together with his wife, Nguyen Thi Kim Thuy, Jenny, receiving his award at a lunch hosted by MD/GCEO Kua Hong Pak (right), with special attendance by Chairman, Lim Jit Poh (left).

OUR PEOPLE, OUR PASSION 2014 PASSION! AWARD WINNER

Model workers don’t have to have grandiose plans or actions. They don’t need to save the world or commit heroic acts. Sometimes, working quietly behind the scenes is all it takes to be an outstanding employee.

And so it was with Jimmy Chan Kim Teck, the 2014 Passion! Award winner.

The 41-year-old Chief Instructor at ComfortDelGro Driving Centre in Singapore can often be found working quietly – taking on jobs that are not even in his job scope.

resolve it. He first bought two styrofoam boards, and then spent a few hours after work cutting cradles out of them. He then laboriously re-labelled each smartphone according to the car tag, which made it easier for instructors to locate them.

Length of Service: 9 years

One such project involved a storage cabinet for personal digital assistants (PDAs) used by instructors to monitor the progress of their learners. When these were upgraded to smartphones, the cradles that were originally used to house the PDAs could no longer be used. As a result, smartphones were left sprawled all over the cabinet.

Jimmy noticed how time was wasted because instructors had to search for the right smartphone every time. As Chief Instructor, Jimmy could have delegated the task to one of his staff, but he did not. Instead, he took it upon himself to

On another occasion, when a training car had a punctured tyre, Jimmy immediately arranged for a replacement car so that the learner could continue with the lesson without disruption. As the mechanic had left for the day, Jimmy decided to stay behind and change the tyre himself – so that the car could be used for lessons first thing the next morning.

Such willingness to go beyond the call of duty stems from true passion – which is why Jimmy is so deserving of this year’s Passion! Award.

JIMMY CHAN KIM TECK / 41

Chief Instructor

ComfortDelGro Driving Centre Pte Ltd, Singapore

OUTSTANDING FINALIST

AHMED SERHANI / 49

Bus Driver

Metroline Limited, United Kingdom

Length of Service: 10 years

Awards:

Metroline Award for Outstanding Service 2014

Who says only movie stars have fans?

Metroline’s Ahmed Serhani is living proof that bus driving can be as alluring too. The 49-year-old, who was driving Route 274 before switching to the current Route 214, has amassed a sizeable fan base with his gregarious personality and superior driving skills.

Mr Nick Hillel, Creative Director of Yeast Culture, is always happy to board Ahmed’s bus. He said: "Ahmed has a unique rapport with his passengers who genuinely love to see him behind the wheel. From his friendly welcome comments to the traffic information or location updates he delivers throughout the journey, everything is always presented with real wit and insight that it never becomes distracting. He really is the perfect bus driver and I have seen many a

passenger break out in a broad smile on the bleakest rainy Monday morning because of his personality.”

Another of Ahmed’s fans is the sister-inlaw of Sir Peter Hendy, Commissioner of Transport for London. Being a regular commuter on board Route 214, Ms Lisa Hendy was impressed with Ahmed for being so “good to customers”, that she asked Sir Peter Hendy to write a commendation for Ahmed.

She said: “He remembers where people need to get off, [is] always smiling and [is] super friendly.”

Well done, Ahmed!

She has memorised over 40 routes – that is 10 times what the normal Bus Captain knows.

How does she do it? Sheer passion! Going about her job as excitedly as when she first started 33 years ago, Elizabeth’s passion has never waned. Her motto – “Nothing is impossible!”

technology, but it is always a human behind the wheel. I am that person who has to make sure that all of us in the bus get home safely. It is my responsibility and one I will never take lightly.”

With this same motto undergirding her in all that she does, the 56-year-old’s commitment to service excellence is evident in the countless commendations she has garnered over the years, including one of the highest accolades – Service Excellence – Individual at the Land Transport Excellence Awards last year.

Despite that, Elizabeth has never once forgotten her core responsibility. She said: “We may have newer buses and newer

Today, she continues to set an outstanding example for her fellow colleagues to emulate. As Chief Captain as well as Route Group Mentor, she often shares her experiences while she trains the younger Bus Captains. Her versatility, perseverance and passion to serve her customers well have made her a valuable asset to the Company.

Chief Captain

SBS Transit Ltd, Singapore

Length of Service: 33 years

Awards:

Land Transport Excellence Awards Service

Excellence – Individual

Excellent Service Award Silver

ELIZABETH LIM / 56

KELVIN EZEKIEL TAN / 41

Taxi Driver

ComfortDelGro, Taxi Business

Length of Service: 2 years 7 months

Awards:

Thumbs Up Award

To Cabby Kelvin Ezekiel Tan, the world is one without strangers. Everyone is a friend to him and he is always trying to help those who are in need.

Once, a passer-by witnessed Cabby Tan assisting an elderly man with walking difficulties to a nearby clinic, and wrote in to the Company to commend him. He said: “I overheard the elderly man asking the cabby how much the fare was but the cabby told him not to worry about it. So, besides helping the elderly man, the cabby actually waived the taxi fare!”

Another incident took place at the Changi Airport in April 2014. An Indian man had just brought his family from India to Singapore for a vacation. The man’s wife was suddenly taken ill and had to be conveyed on a wheelchair. With two children in tow and multiple suitcases, they were rejected by a taxi driver.

But, Cabby Tan immediately went to their aid. He helped them push the trolley of luggage while the man took care of his wife and children. En route to their destination, Cabby Tan constantly checked on the lady’s condition and also offered lollipops to the children when one of them started crying.

Upon arriving at their destination, Cabby Tan carried every piece of luggage up a narrow stairwell to the shophouse unit.

When the passenger tried to tip Cabby Tan, he refused it.

Said the 41-year-old: “I didn’t help them to get a tip. He just looked like he needed a hand, and I was able to extend it.”

Bus Driver

CDC Ballarat, ComfortDelGro Cabcharge

Pty Ltd, Australia

Length of Service: 3.5 years

It was a scene out of a Hollywood movie – with shattered glass everywhere and screaming teens crying out in pain.

Unfortunately, it was very real and it happened last May to CDC Ballarat bus driver Kim Anders.

The accident took place on a sunny day as Kim was driving the busload of 41 Damascus College students back home. Out of nowhere, a truck came hurtling towards her and hit the bus on its side.

Said Kim: “The force of the truck hitting us was such that it pushed us onto the wrong side of the road. I knew that there was no way I was stopping there. It was completely unsafe as there was oncoming traffic to consider, amongst other things. Fortunately, there was no damage to the engine and as far as I could tell, the wheels were still okay, so I was able to guide the bus back to the right side of the road and just roll in to stop at the curb, out of everyone’s way.”

Her decision not to slam the accelerator was a right one as it prevented further collision with oncoming traffic.

Her immediate thought was the well-being of the students she had on board.

Once Kim ascertained that the students were safe, she encouraged them to alight from the bus. Armed with her first-aid kit, Kim handed out antiseptic wipes as well as band-aids to students who had sustained minor injuries. She never left their side, and kept assuring them that all would be okay as they waited for help to arrive.

Two days later, when she went back to work, she was greeted by a roomful of grateful students, armed with flowers, a card and hugs. They wanted to thank her for the care she had given them under very traumatic circumstances.

A visibly moved Kim said in response: “I wasn’t expecting that at all. Thank you, Damascus. You are a bunch of great kids!”

KIM ANDERS / 49

His job is to ensure the safety and security of one of Guangzhou’s busiest bus stations and it is something he takes very seriously.

In fact, 35-year-old Lin Qing Dong is so committed to fulfilling his professional duties that he will pore through every single shred of evidence several times over to make sure a case is solved.

This is exactly what happened in April 2014, when there was a series of thefts on board buses travelling on the GuangzhouZengcheng, Guangzhou-Heyuan as well as the Guangzhou-Huadu routes.

For five months, he worked closely with the Police, spoke to bus drivers and watched surveillance videos in a bid to bring the syndicate to justice. He was determined to catch the pickpockets who had been plaguing travellers and

often worked beyond his normal working hours just to solve the crimes. He did this even though his father and wife were both diagnosed with terminal illnesses at the time.

His efforts finally paid off when the first group of pickpockets were caught in May. In August, Qing Dong personally followed the second group of pickpockets while they were in action on board the bus and caught them red-handed.

For his efforts, Qing Dong was given the “Courageous” title by the Guangzhou Good Samaritan Foundation last year.

LIN QING DONG / 35

Security Supervisor

Guangzhou Xin Tian Wei Transportation Development, China

Length of Service: 14 years 10 months

Awards: “Courageous” title

ZHI SHAN / 51

Jilin ComfortDelGro Taxi Co., Ltd, China

Length of Service: 9 years 5 months

Awards:

Most Kind-Hearted Taxi Driver

Sometimes, it’s better to give than to receive. That certainly is something Cabby Lu Zhi Shan subscribes to.

For three years without fail, he would be the first in line to volunteer his taxi services to send students taking the all-important entrance examinations to school. He has always opted to ferry students who live furthest away from their schools, resulting in more time spent on the free trip – and less time getting paid fares.

In fact, Cabby Lu offers free trips quite often. Needy students, war veterans, visually impaired – as long as his passengers are in need, he is there to provide.

He has also donated money out of his own pocket to needy students, and was involved in delivering necessities to 200 needy families during the mid-Autumn Festival.

For all his efforts, Cabby Lu earned the “Most Kind-Hearted Taxi Driver” title last year.

A cabby truly deserving of the award.

LU

Taxi Driver

PETER DUVCEVSKI / 51

Service Delivery Manager

CDC Victoria, ComfortDelGro Cabcharge

Pty Ltd, Australia

Length of Service: 30 years

There is a longstanding joke in CDC Victoria’s office about “cloning” Peter Duvcevski.

After all, he is considered a dream worker – totally committed to his work and still passionate about everything he does, 30 years and counting!

As manager of Sunshine Depot, the 51-yearold’s job is to ensure operations run like clockwork.

On 27 July 2014, an operational disaster was narrowly averted – thanks to Peter’s unwavering diligence.

As part of the Brimbank bus network changes, a company contracted by the Public Transport Victoria (PTV) had been assigned to install new bus stop flags for new routes and to remove bus stops that were no longer in service.

Not wanting to leave anything to chance, Peter decided to go for a drive along the new routes on the morning the changes were supposed to be implemented. He was shocked to find that nothing had been done.

He immediately alerted PTV and rallied two of his colleagues to rush down to the depot to prepare proper signages and install them at the bus stops.

By then, some commuters were already waiting at the bus stops that were no longer in service. While his staff continued to install the signages, Peter took to offering commuters at the now non-operational bus stops a ride in his own car.

In all, he conveyed about 30 commuters, and the team spent the whole day making things right.

A knight in shining armour indeed.

OUR PEOPLE, OUR PASSION

Length of Service: 22 years

Many people are fearful of change. After all, hurtling headlong into the unknown is a scary prospect.

Not 43-year-old Roslan Bin Md Rohani.

The sprightly man joined ComfortDelGro Engineering in 1992 as a logistics personnel in the Component Re-conditioning Division. After about 20 years in the position, Roslan was re-assigned to become an automotive technician in 2011 – a role that would require a completely different set of skills from his previous one. Despite that, Roslan took up the challenge head on.

He not only took a personal interest in his new role, but also decided he needed to upgrade his knowledge. So, in 2013, Roslan enrolled himself in an Automotive Technology course at the Institute of Technical Education. Despite having to

travel long distances – from Braddell to Loyang – for his evening classes for one-and-a-half years, Roslan persevered and finally earned a NITEC certificate in June 2014. The new skills enabled him to perform better and he soon became one of the key technicians in the Taxi Engine Overhaul section. Not one to rest on his laurels, Roslan has now gone on to learn how to overhaul the Mercedes limousine engine.

Roslan’s commitment and keen interest in his work, as well as his conscientiousness to upgrade himself exemplifies a truly passionate spirit that we all could learn from.

ROSLAN BIN MD ROHANI / 43

Automotive Technician

ComfortDelGro Engineering Pte Ltd, Singapore

To Bus Captain (BC) Sugumaran A/L Sunmugam, every passenger who boards his bus is family – for whom he is responsible.

This is why Sugumaran thinks nothing of going the extra mile for them.

reminded them to watch their step in Mandarin.

Once, a mother with three young children and a baby stroller in tow boarded the bus. Without a second’s hesitation, Sugumaran immediately got out of his seat and helped them find empty seats. He then proceeded to fold the stroller and stowed it away safely.

On another occasion, Sugumaran activated the ramp for two elderly ladies who had difficulties boarding the bus even though the ramp is reserved for passengers-in-wheelchairs. He even

No wonder then that Sugumaran has received no less than 34 commendations during the year, making him one of SBS Transit’s most popular BCs.

Bus Captain SBS Transit Ltd, Singapore

Length of Service: 2 years

Awards: 2014 Annual CARES Award

SUGUMARAN A/L SUNMUGAM / 43

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.

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.

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.

ASSESSMENT PERIOD

From 1 January 2015 to 31 October 2015

SELECTION CRITERIA

In general, areas of consideration are as follows:

• Number of service commendations

• Other awards received

• Attendance/punctuality

• Job competency

• Sense of integrity

• Safety and security consciousness

• Enthusiasm/job interest

• Customer focus

• Responsibility

• Special contributions