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SMRT Trains, the pioneer Mass Rapid Transit operator in Singapore, and PCCW Solutions, the IT services flagship of PCCW Limited, announced recently the full roll-out of the Track Access Management System (TAMS) to the North-South and East-West lines (NSEWL), Singapore’s oldest Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) lines.

TAMS is a digital solution developed by SMRT Trains and PCCW Solutions to digitalise and automate track access allocation for the regular maintenance and planning of engineering works. Replacing time-consuming and labour-intensive manual processes, TAMS is a holistic system with real-time updates of track allocation status and access progress, providing end-to-end visibility of workflows. In addition to optimising productivity, the system has built-in safety rules to conduct conflict checks on each scheduled track access request against safety requirements, ensuring safety standards are upheld for all stakeholders.

The implementation of TAMS has saved the operator 30,000 man-hours per year and contributed to increased rail reliability through optimised maintenance efforts. In 2020, the North-South Line (NSL) achieved more than 1.3 million Mean Kilometres Between Failure (MKBF) and the East-West Line (EWL) achieved more than 1.4 million MKBF.

Following the success of TAMS for NSEWL, SMRT Trains has embarked on its implementation for the Circle Line (CCL), Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit (BPLRT) network and six depots, to reap further productivity gains.

Strides Engineering, previously SMRT Services, a business arm of SMRT Corporation that provides a range of station-based rail-related services, and PCCW Solutions also announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly develop a go-to-market strategy to promote TAMS in the Southeast Asia region.

The collaboration will leverage PCCW Solutions’ strengths as a digital enabler, as well as SMRT’s domain expertise in using digital technology for rail operations and maintenance, bringing the benefits and best practices of TAMS to regional urban train operators.

Lam Sheau Kai, President of SMRT Trains, said, “The implementation of TAMS on the North-South, East-West lines has given us optimised use of limited engineering hours for higher productivity and enhanced safety in our maintenance regimen. TAMS exemplifies SMRT’s commitment to Kaizen culture for continual improvements in the operations and maintenance of rail lines for high rail reliability”.

Gan Boon Jin, President of Strides Engineering, said, “Our collaboration with PCCW Solutions has been very fruitful in developing and honing TAMS to a high level of operational efficiency. It is a field-tested digital solution that has provided a great boost to SMRT’s productivity and safety in rail operations and maintenance. We are excited to extend the collaboration with PCCW Solutions to bring the benefits of TAMS to other train operators in the region”.

Ramez Younan, Managing Director of PCCW Solutions, said, “We are delighted to support SMRT’s digitalisation journey by harnessing innovative technologies to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of its rail operations. The extension of our collaboration is not only a demonstration of SMRT’s trust in our delivery capabilities but also a testament to our involvement in enhancing the country’s transport ecosystem. We look forward to strengthening our collaboration with Strides Engineering in delivering more digital solutions to support smart mobility across Southeast Asia”.

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