I am heartened by the move to show greater recognition and appreciation for public transport workers (New campaign launched to encourage people to greet and thank public transport workers; Oct 21).

More often than not our ever-increasing pace of life leaves us with little or no time to pause in our tracks and acknowledge those around us.

This is further compounded by the high smartphone penetration in the country, which detaches us from our surroundings, as exemplified by distracted individuals burying their heads in their electronic devices, be it on the train, bus, or during meal times.

This campaign serves as a timely reminder for us to show our gratitude towards those who work behind the scenes silently but tirelessly. Public transport workers often start work before the sun rises, while some engineers work when we are in the comfort of our beds.

Given that bus and train ridership has risen for more than 12 consecutive years, we should show appreciation to the heroes who have put in effort to ensure that everyone can travel conveniently and safely.

As this is only a month-long campaign, to sustain the momentum, schools could perhaps further reinforce the message during lessons so as to develop a positive culture of appreciation in our young ones.

Let us all play our part by thanking our drivers and engineers.

Ong Si Min (Miss)