MTR Smart Mobility: Transformation for an Inclusive Railway Journey
MTR Corporation
MTR’s commitment to social inclusion stems from its people-centricity for customers & staff. The project integrates service and operational excellence through digital transformation & empathetic workforce, enabling self-empowered & inclusive journey.
About this Project
Mobility is a right for all, regardless of background or abilities. MTR brings inclusive travel to the next level, by transitioning from merely providing barrier-free infrastructure, to offering people-centric services for all customers.
7 technology-enabled initiatives & 4 staff programs are launched from 2023 – 2024 to achieve service excellence:
- Transforming travel for customers in need
- Target: Elderly, Mobility Impaired (MI), Visually Impaired (VI), Hearing Impaired (HI) (>25% of HK population) and caretakers
- Objective: Empower them to navigate the railway environment independently
- Enabling staff empathetic approach
- Target: 3,000+ Station Staff
- Objective: Enhance customer understanding & service efficiency through 360 training
Key Highlights
1. “MTR · Care” App for customers in need
Elderly:
- Trip Planner with Fast Exit info for minimal walking to lifts/escalators/exits
MI:
- Real-time lift status for station accessibility
- Wheelchair Portable Ramp Booking for reserving staff assistance to board
VI:
- In-station Navigation with Wi-Fi fingerprint and beacons for route guidance
HI:
- Non-emergency In-station Assistance with instant chat
2. Bridging gaps with technology
- “Caring for Dementia” to locate missing customers via MTR’s Automatic Fare Collection system
- Pre-door closing indicator for HI
3. Staff readiness for change
- 200+ experiential workshops for staff to facilitate understanding of inclusive customers service
- Process automation to reduce >50% of workload on ramp service
Facts & Figures
- Delivered new customer experience for all: Transforming to self-empowering service model. MTR · Care App receives user ratings above 4.3 on Google Play and 4.4 on Apple Store. An average of 800 wheelchair portable ramp requests are completed daily with digitized operations by Station Staff
- Extended social inclusivity beyond MTR: Collaborated with 15+ NGOs and social enterprises to develop initiatives and conduct trials. Attracted wide media coverage and brought attention to these communities
- Building a Smart Railway with human touch: Automated, data-driven operations to serve customers. Ensured personalised services alongside technological advancements and enabled staff empathy on customer needs
