GO Transit trains have adopted a new Japanese safety practice
Posted Mar 17, 2021 01:11:00 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
GO Transit users may be already noticing something very different when traveling to their destination.
An ancient Japanese practice called Shisa Kanko is now in place. It aims to improve door operations and ultimately make the GO system safer.
GO trains are now pulling into stations and opening their doors with customer service ambassadors.
The CSAs will be stepping off the train when trains are at their stops. They will be pointing in both directions calling 'clear right, clear left, making sure no passengers are left behind before safely closing the doors.
“The practice engages the operator's brain, eyes, hands, mouth, and ears to have increased awareness of what they are doing,” explained Nitish Bissonauth, a spokesperson for Metrolinx.
Bissonauth said, on average, CSAs work and operate close to 70 stops a day. With so many platforms, it's easy to fall into a routine and create an automatic habit.
Bissonauth said this Japanese practice has been used in Japan for over a century and has been very effective. The idea to bring this practice here was so Metrolinx could continue improving its system. This practice has been in place for a short while now, and Metrolinx says their CSAs already find it very beneficial.
“It really allows them to be sharper on the ball and to take a step back and get a better idea of what they are doing. They have a greater sense of their environmental awareness.”
Bissonauth said the 'point and call' system is in place at all GO Stations, and all CSAs are trained, so you can expect to see it at every platform.
