If you’ve spent enough time on the light rail, chances are you’ve met Gyanendra, better known by his self-proclaimed nickname, “G-man”.
Gyanendra will celebrate five years as a Customer Service Officer (CSO) with CMET in November and has become a familiar face to customers. While his role involves helping passengers navigate their journeys, for him it’s about something much bigger: people.
Gyanendra sees every interaction as an opportunity to make someone’s day a little easier, whether it’s answering a question, offering guidance or providing reassurance.
“Our first priority is to help people,” he says.
One of the most rewarding parts of the role is helping customers who may feel nervous about using the service. By taking the time to listen, explain and reassure, Gyanendra helps passengers build confidence and feel more comfortable travelling on the network.
“Some people are unfamiliar with the system, whilst others are just curious. No matter the reason, we try to help them have the best trip possible.”
“We’ve also built a tight-knit community on the light rail,” he says. “Regular riders will come up from time to time and ask, ‘Where have you been?’ We check in on each other.”
That sense of connection extends to his colleagues as well.
“What keeps me motivated? Community,” Gyanendra says. “We’re a crew of 18, and we have a great team and support network.”
In fact, when asked about his success, he is quick to credit those around him.
“I’m no-one without my crew.”
Having recently completed a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, Gyanendra now helps train and mentor new CSOs, ensuring they feel confident in their roles from day one.
Outside of work, Gyanendra enjoys landscape photography, a hobby he discovered during COVID. What started as a creative outlet has grown into a passion, with his photographs even being noticed and used by organisations.
“My brother-in-law in the US is a professional photographer,” Gyanendra explains. “He encouraged me to make use of that skill, so I learned more about photography and started taking photos, along with the post-production work and editing.”
One of his favourite styles is long-exposure photography, which allows him to capture movement and atmosphere in a way that tells a story. For Gyanendra, photography is a way to store memories and find a sense of belonging amongst nature.
Looking ahead, Gyanendra hopes to combine his love of photography with a visit to Nepal.
“My bucket list is to photograph the mountain peaks [of Nepal] once I have the right equipment,” he says. “My wife and I both enjoy photography, so she would definitely be joining me on that adventure.”
Almost five years on, Gyanendra remains committed to helping people, supporting his teammates and building the community that makes the light rail more than just a mode of transport.
For G-man every great journey starts with human connection.