SMRT to implement fast-response team to sort out train disruptions

According to The Straits Times, the operator gave this assurance yesterday that a new initiative will allow its staff to respond more quickly and effectively to break downs amid irritation among commuters at the recent spate of service disruptions.

SMRT plans to have a central team of experts who will be in touch with the maintenance staff on the ground, giving them advice to hasten the recovery of affected train services.

SMRT said yesterday that it was bringing forward some initiatives it had planned. They include the new maintenance operations centre - a central facility with experts to guide crew on the ground when breakdowns occur.

SMRT's President and group Chief Executive Desmond Kuek acknowledged in a press briefing yesterday that commuter confidence in the reliability of SMRT's train services has been shaken recently, but expressed confidence in his team's efforts to improve services in the coming months.

There have been at least five rail disruptions since 23rd of February , with the latest two occurring on Tuesday. 

SMRT said at the briefing that it would add more engineers and technicians to its ranks. The company now has 288 engineers, an increase of 64 percent over the past three years, and it aims to grow this number to around 400 by March 2018. The number of technicians will also increase from 2,098 to about 2,600, a rise of 24 percent, in the next three years.

Also in the pipeline is the use of more sensors on trains on the North-South and East-West lines to detect anomalies in the third rail, which supplies power. Two trains have these devices currently, but three more will be equipped in the next few months, said Mr Lee. With these sensors, faults can be detected and rectified early.