Gauging perceptions of our customers and the broader community is an important component of our stakeholder engagement process. We regularly conduct biannual passenger surveys and hold monthly coffee evenings in stations to solicit feedback and opinion on our performance. Such feedback has helped management shape such initiatives as the "Service from the Heart" campaign and improve safety and passenger services. This direct customer communications approach has also led to the launch of similar coffee evenings within our shopping centres to widen our understanding of customer services in retailing and maintain our competitiveness in this market.

In 2006, in an independently conducted public survey, the Corporation achieved the leading position amongst all Hong Kong public transport operators in the value for money category. This demonstrates a distinct change in stakeholders' perceptions and marks a new milestone in our services delivery. As well, we continue to be recognised with numerous public awards for our quality, customer care and community involvement.

At the international level, we participate in an annual benchmarking exercise as a member of the CoMET group. In 2006, we maintained our performance excellence in customer services, cost efficiencies and services reliability.