Public service provider SMRT Corporation Ltd is renowned for keeping Singapore moving. With a desire to maintain a reputation for reliability, the company has developed several key partnerships. Report by Imogen Ward.
Singapore-based SMRT Corporation Ltd operates with the desire to deliver a public transport service that is safe, reliable and commuter-centric. Initially established to support the NorthSouth and East-West Lines, the company has evolved to island-wide status, with services provided via trains, buses and taxis.
Tracking trains
To maintain its commitment to safety and reliability during this expansion, SMRT – through its subsidiary SMRT Trains –developed several key partnerships over the years, including one with leading IT service provider Lenovo PCCW Solutions (LPS).
As part of the agreement, SMRT installed the IT expert’s Track Access Management systems (TAMS) across the entirety of its train fleet in 2021.
TAMS – a solution that sought to digitalise and automate track access allocation to better pre-empt upcoming track engi -
neering works – afforded SMRT significant improvements relating to efficiency: TAMS has consistently saved SMRT 30,000 manhours, which has evolved into substantial cost savings.
The system has also played a part in making SMRT a more sustainable operator. Thanks to its digital nature, TAMS has had a direct impact on the company’s paper consumption. With ‘respect for the environment’ a core value of SMRT, and the company aiming for net zero by 2050, this development has been critical to the public service provider.
President of SMRT Trains Liam Sheau Kai, was quoted in a press release saying: “Using Lenovo PCCW Solution’s Track Access Management System, we can optimise the use of limited engineering hours for higher productivity and enhance safety in maintenance.”
And the great results do not stop there: SMRT has successfully increased its
effective maintenance window to four hours. A huge feat, considering how restrictive timings can be when it comes to repair work on train lines.
Monitoring MRT
Eager to advance this upward trend, as of April this year, SMRT Trains has charged Otis (the world’s leading manufacturer of elevators, escalators and moving walkways) with servicing its 446 escalators and 52 elevators located on the North-South and East-West lines.
This exciting contract is expected to last until at least 2029 and will include regular tests and inspections, to ensure all equipment remains safe to use. As the most popular Mass Rapid Transit railway lines within Singapore, featuring 62 stations, continuous upkeep is paramount.
Having previously refurbished 231 escalators on the North-South and East-West lines, Otis was the clear choice for the contract. As part of the refurbishment, all the vertical transportation systems were
adjusted to improve safety, operational efficiency and energy savings.
Under the new agreement, SMRT Trains will also utilise Otis’ lift condition-monitoring system that can pre-empt faults. It is hoped that, through this new system, SMRT will witness improved lift reliability – another excellent step towards ensuring the continuous operation of its stations.
Environmental evolution
Sustainability has long been a determining factor in SMRT’s decision making process. That is why the company has maintained a strong partnership with global technology leader Thales for more than a decade. SMRT initially turned to the tech guru’s former signalling arm, Ground Transportation Systems (now under the
ownership of Hitachi Rail), for its Automatic Train Control system that integrates smart and green communications-based train control algorithms.
Pleased with the results, SMRT contracted the company once again at the beginning of this year, in an effort to modernise its depots – Bishan and Ulu Pandan – using digital interlocking.
The SelTrac allows remote movement of trains via an automatically controlled interlocking system.
Of course, this is not the only new development relating to SMRT.
It can be a bit of a mystery what happens to trains once they have been decommissioned. However, this is not the case for one
of the company’s recently retired carriages. Set to be Singapore’s first environmentally friendly train hotel, the carriage will become part of JTC’s start-up cluster, LaunchPad @ one-north, and will feature eight en-suite rooms, as well as a driver’s compartment showing footage from previous SMRT journeys.
Through the sale of this train, SMRT has located another innovative method for maintaining a greener footprint.
Crucial cues
SMRT has also made several customer-centric developments, including the installation of wayfinding mural cues in its MRT station located in Woodlands. Already present in
LENOVO PCCW SOLUTIONS
Major city train networks handle millions of passenger journeys daily – truly an art of precision. The Track Access Management System (TAMS) is a comprehensive, AI-powered urban mobility solution developed by LPS and STRIDES.
TAMS helps operators adeptly plan, schedule and optimise engineering work. The system is designed with intention and ingenuity to ensure safety, reliability and service excellence in this highly time-sensitive environment.
the district’s Integrated Transport Hub and Temporary Bus Interchange, the new visual cues are intended to help commuters with cognitive difficulties and dementia (featuring bright colours and fruits) by leading the way to various key locations.
In line with the new update, the visual cues were also extended within the district’s Integrated Transport Hub and Temporary Bus Interchange, guiding users towards the wayward points of the MRT station.
As SMRT continues to find new and inventive ways to achieve its mission of delivering public transport that is safe, reliable and commuter-centric, the operator is dedicated to providing a service that is enjoyable, fair and prioritises everyone’s safety. n
