4-10-2023 (SINGAPORE) SMRT Trains has established a collaborative partnership with another rail operator for the first time, signing a cooperation agreement on Tuesday with the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC), the organization behind the Taipei Metro.
The agreement will facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices in operations, maintenance, and engineering between SMRT Trains and TRTC, as stated by SMRT on Tuesday.
Taipei Metro has previously served as a benchmark for Singapore’s rail reliability standards when the government took measures to improve service levels following a series of major MRT breakdowns in 2015.
Lam Sheau Kai, President of SMRT Trains, expressed that both operators will “share best practices and the use of technology” to enhance rail reliability while remaining financially and environmentally sustainable. They will also exchange insights on ensuring the safety of commuters, staff, and subcontractors.
In addition to these aspects, SMRT and TRTC will learn from each other about improving cybersecurity measures to prevent service disruptions and about environmental, social, and corporate governance-related programs.
The agreement aims to boost shopping opportunities for commuters and promote tourism in both cities.
Regarding rail reliability, in 2022, SMRT’s trains covered 9.9 million and 12.2 million train car-km between delays of more than five minutes on the North-South and East-West lines, respectively. TRTC achieved significantly better results, recording 16 million train car-km between delays in 2022, based on the latest available figures from the Taiwanese operator.
The signing of the agreement on Tuesday was attended by SMRT Trains Chairman Seah Moon Ming and TRTC Chairman Chao Shiao-lien. The event was witnessed by Mr. Lam and TRTC Vice-President Yang Chin-heng. SMRT Group Chief Executive Ngien Hoon Ping was also present at the ceremony, which took place in Singapore.
Mr. Chao highlighted that this agreement marks the continuation of a 33-year collaboration between both operators, which commenced in 1990 when TRTC sent its employees to Singapore for training.
Mr. Seah emphasized that this partnership would enable SMRT Trains and TRTC to deliver “best-in-class” public transport services, commuting experiences, and lifestyle experiences to their customers.
SBS Transit, a competitor of SMRT, had previously partnered with TRTC and its subsidiary Metro Consulting Service in 2018 to bolster its engineering and maintenance capabilities.
