Airport Ground Handling Agent Adapts Staff Transport to Tackle COVID-19

Singapore - A large ground handling agent at Changi Airport has configured their staff transport to the new requirements and changes in work schedules due to COVID-19, using SWAT Mobility’s technology. The company aims to improve the efficiency of current services by reducing manual planning involved in the management of transport after an internal manpower reorganisation.

The service workers who work midnight shifts at Changi Airport are now sent home by taxi pooling. Under SWAT Mobility’s Just In Time transport model, the taxi services serve specific locations within the airport. The system automatically splits the staff into different vehicles according to their departments, even if they are departing from the same location and at the same timing. This ensures that the employees from different departments do not come into contact with one another. 

Rides on the transport are booked on behalf of the employees through a web-based application. Ride bookings can be made up to 30 minutes before the departure time. The system then collates the bookings and generates optimal routes that are customised to the exact group of staff departing from the same location, at a set timing. It also minimises the number of taxis required to transport the employees across the services.

Currently, the new staff transport caters to about 100 shift workers each night. It will operate for 3 months starting from June, and covers both home-to-work and work-to-home commutes.

Technology-driven service allows the company to adapt to the impacts of COVID-19 easily, such as changes in locations, shift timings and the number of employees working in each shift. The company also gets access to ridership data and other metrics to make informed decisions. Most importantly, such transport drops the staff off at their doorsteps after their midnight shifts, making their commutes safer and more convenient in these challenging times.