A familiar voice: Pam puts passengers first
A familiar voice: Pam puts passengers first
Pam Tasker is a Customer Announcer and familiar voice to regular Metro Trains passengers.
She is on the front line delivering announcements to passengers every day from Metro’s network control centre.
Originally from Cambridge in England, Pam emigrated to Melbourne in 2007 with her family, and in 2014 she landed a job as a Leading Station Assistant based at Flinders Street Station.
After 18 months of servicing passengers and delivering announcements on platforms, Pam was given an exciting opportunity to become an announcer at the Network Control Centre.
Pam faced a few challenges as she adjusted to her new role, “The biggest change was that I no longer had face-to-face contact with passengers. That was really hard to adjust to because I can’t see who I’m talking to – whereas, when you’re on the platforms, you’ve got everybody there,” Pam said. “Now I just imagine I have a mic and I’m walking up and down the carriages of the trains – that’s the only way I could adjust.”
On the control room floor, Pam gives passengers real-time disruption updates, safety advice, and other important information during their travel on the rail network. Metro is one of few train operators using real-time announcement technology globally.
“Every day is a different day, you just don’t know what’s going to happen.” she said.
“Our main focus in the morning is to get people into the city on time, manage any upcoming delays, and let people know what’s going on.”
Beyond updating passengers with disruption information, Pam has a passion for safety – whether it’s parents with children in prams, or people using level crossings.
Pam says the job is as rewarding as it is diverse, “I love it. I absolutely love it.” Pam said.
