Mr Wong Hung Khim,

Chairman of DelGro Corporation,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very happy to join you here this morning to celebrate our nation’s 37^th birthday and to officially open SBS Transit’s new multi-storey bus depot.

SBS Transit has a special place in the history of our public transport system. The formation of its predecessor company, SBS Ltd, in 1973, marked the beginnings of an efficient public transport network. The improvement of our public transport system mirrored, and in a way, helped to underpin our economic and social development. I still remember vividly taking the buses to and from school everyday in the 1960’s. The buses then were old, rickety, noisy and frequently broke down. Bus services were irregular, and the bus rides were hot and uncomfortable.

Over the years, our bus services have improved by leaps and bounds. As a result, Singaporeans today enjoy a level of service comparable to the best in the world.

As the major bus operator, SBS Transit has played an important role in bringing about a better public transport system in Singapore. Its achievements today are the result of forward planning, prudent capital investments and continuous improvements in service standards. The investments in fleet upgrading over the years have allowed Singaporeans to enjoy the comfort of modern and air-conditioned buses. Just as important, but less visible to the commuters, is its investment in support and maintenance systems. These help to keep buses in tip-top condition and ensure their smooth and safe operations on the roads.

The depot that we are in today is a good example of such investments. The Soon Lee Bus Depot is the first multi-storey bus park for SBS Transit. Built at a cost of $57 million, it replaces the old bus parks at Penjuru and Jurong. This new depot will cater to the future needs of the company as it expands its bus fleet to meet increased demand in the years ahead.

I am also told that SBS Transit will be building its second multi-storey bus park in Bedok and this is expected to be ready by 2004. Going multi-storey is a worthwhile investment that makes more efficient use of space in our land-scarce country.

Having the best buses, interchanges and depots is, however, not enough. We need good people, with the dedication, right attitude and a passion for service. At the end of the day, it is the people who can make the most difference. Here, I am not just referring to the bus captains who serve the public commuters each day, but also all the other transport workers who work behind the scenes in the depots, workshops and other areas. All these workers play a critical part in ensuring the smooth operation of our bus service, to meet the transport needs of commuters day in and day out.

These workers perform very demanding jobs. The work is hard and the hours are long - not to mention the shift duties and odd working hours. They are at work, even as we celebrate Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Christmas or Deepavali. Bus captains also have to constantly upgrade their skills and knowledge to handle new systems such as the ez-link system, as well as manage and deal with the rising service expectations of our commuters.

Despite the demanding nature of the work, I am heartened and very happy that our bus captains and transport workers have risen to the challenge to provide Singapore with a quality and efficient public transport service. The increasing number of public commendations is surely a testament to your efforts.

In particular, I would like to share with you a letter that appeared in the 21 Jun issue of Today. The writer commended a bus captain of Service No 16 who had greeted him with a smile and a cheerful "good evening". The bus captain’s cheerfulness had made the writer’s journey a pleasant one.

Good service goes beyond adhering to a schedule or simply performing the assigned task. A simple gesture of thoughtfulness and sincerity can do wonders for your customers. As providers of a public service, you have the power to touch the lives of tens of thousands of commuters each day. I urge you to strive to make a difference, to delight your customers, just as the Service No 16 Bus Captain had.

Today, SBS Transit is preparing for its first foray into rail operations. There will be a lot of preparatory work and staff training to complete before the commencement of operations. I am confident that with the same commitment and passion that you have showed with bus services, you would do a good job with the North East Line and Sengkang LRT.

SBS Transit has indeed come a long way. It has progressed and transformed itself to meet new challenges, just as we have as a nation. Times may be difficult, and more challenges will surely come our way, but with resolve and commitment, we will overcome them and emerge stronger as a nation.

Every one of you here today, whether you are from DelGro, SBS Transit or NTWU, can make a difference. As we celebrate National Day, it is also a good opportunity for us to reaffirm our commitment and dedication to the service of our nation. Together, we can ensure the continued progress and prosperity of our nation.

With that, let me end by wishing all of you, "Happy National Day".

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