Just ahead of the opening of the long-awaited Sydney Metro City and Southwest line section on 19 August, Hong Kong based public transport operator MTR had cause for celebration as its Australian joint venture subsidiaries Metro Trains Sydney (MTS) and Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM) received prestigious honours in the 2024 Australasian Rail Industry Awards (ARI Awards).
The 2024 ARI Awards night was successfully held on 7 August in Sydney. With over 100 finalists from the railway sector, MTS and MTM achieved remarkable results for their outstanding commitments in employee engagement and customer services.
Operational excellence through staff commitment
The ARI Awards represent the highest level of recognition within the Australian rail industry. This was the first year that MTS, the operator of Sydney Metro’s North West Line since service commenced in 2019 as well as the new City section extension, has been a member of the Australasian Railway Association (ARA).
MTS said it was honoured to win the Employee Engagement Excellence Award in recognition of its “One Business One Line” campaign, a self-initiated communication strategy with an aim to prepare staff to get ready for the opening of the expanded metro network in Sydney.
The “One Business One Line” campaign, which ran for over one and a half years, highlights the development of employee communication channels geared together with engagement activities to foster unity among the company’s talents.
With over 80 per cent engagement across its internal channels, this creative approach in sharing success stories and embedding organisational key priorities has successfully nurtured the one-team mindset within MTS. The strategy has empowered the talents for the new challenges ahead for the Sydney Metro City and Southwest opening and beyond.
Passenger-Centric Services
Melbourne’s metropolitan rail operator, MTM, won the Customer Service Excellence Award for its transport management for the Taylor Swift concert series, with an additional 145 train services and more than 200 additional staff deployed to get more than 130,000 attendees to concerts from 16 to 18 February.
The implementation of mitigation and control measures in various aspects including crowd control, additional staffing, service adjustment and crisis preparation ensured a pleasant and safe journey for passengers.
With a customer-centric mindset as the utmost priority, the achievement showcased MTM’s commitment to providing excellent customer service at every touchpoint even during challenging times.
The Australian Railway Association CEO Caroline Wilkie complimented MTM on the special event planning for the concert series.
“The ARA congratulates Metro Trains Melbourne on winning the Customer Service Excellence Award. Faced with significant logistical challenges, MTM demonstrated outstanding customer service during the Taylor Swift concert series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, ensuring the smooth and safe transportation of more than 130,000 attendees over three nights,” she said.
Drawing on its extensive Hong Kong and global railway experience and expertise, and with the professionalism of its teams in Sydney and Melbourne, MTR will continue to deliver excellent railway services and fulfill its commitments to the local communities it serves in Australia.
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