Go FASTER for better service
Other cutting-edge technology tools that Anthony and his team uses include Fusion Analytics for Public Transport Event Response (FASTER) and the Incident Management Suite (IMS).
FASTER enables his team to better detect rail incidents and predict the extent of its severity. For example, it can collect passenger entry and exit data from station fare gates to detect irregular spikes in crowd sizes. The system will then notify the LTOC to keep a lookout for large crowds within the station's vicinity. Wifi data can also be aggregated to form a heatmap, giving the department an indication of crowd levels.
The IMS provides Anthony and his team with improved situational awareness. It allows deployed officers to transmit live video and images back to the LTOC. This information can then be relayed to other key departments.
The IMS is also used during the opening of bus interchanges. Here, video footage is shared to public transport operators’ (PTOs) operations centre and LTA's Intelligent Transport System Centre (ITSC) to monitor traffic build-up. It also allows LTOC to share live CCTV footage to allow PTOs’ operation centres to observe crowds in the vicinity of MRT stations and bus interchanges.
While technology has proved indispensable, Anthony believes good service comes from the heart.
“I always put myself in the shoes of the commuters. For example, if my wife is stuck in a train incident underground, how would I feel?” he said.
Just as he sharpens his knives regularly to keep them in tip-top condition, he is also always honing his skills to stay sharp at work.
“That is why I constantly push myself to do things in a better way to improve my work and the travel experience for commuters,” he added.
Staying calm under pressure
Over the years, Anthony has been involved in several incidents, including in July 2021 at Jurong East MRT station when a man had climbed over the platform screen doors and onto the track to retrieve his mobile phone. While the man was unhurt, an oncoming train was forced to make an emergency stop, causing a delay in train services.