When passengers board a light rail vehicle, much of what keeps the network moving safely and reliably happens behind the scenes.
For Mathew Barber, CMET’s Operations Control Centre (OCC) Manager, ensuring the smooth operation of the network is all part of a day’s work.
Mat joined CMET in 2018 before passenger services commenced, beginning his journey as a Light Rail Driver. Since then, he has progressed through several operational roles, training as a Regulator before becoming a Network Controller and ultimately taking on the role of OCC Manager.
With experience across multiple transport operators in the heavy rail and coach industries, Mat has built a career spanning almost two decades in public transport. Throughout his time at CMET, he has continued to develop his expertise, completing a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment as well as the Australasian Railway Association’s Rail Operations Course.
As OCC Manager, Mat leads a team of more than 10 Network Controllers and oversees the day-to-day operations of the OCC, the nerve centre of Canberra’s light rail network. He also serves as a key link between the OCC and the wider business, ensuring teams across operations, engineering, maintenance and customer service work together to deliver a safe and reliable service.
“One of the things I’m most proud of is helping digitise processes that were previously completed on paper. It has improved the way we work, made information more accessible and supported a more sustainable approach to our operations.”
The move has helped improve efficiency, streamline workflows and provide more sustainable ways of working, allowing the team to access information more quickly while reducing reliance on paper records.
For Mat, the most rewarding part of his role is supporting the people and systems that keep the network running every day.
His journey from Driver to OCC Manager reflects the opportunities available within CMET and the dedication of the people working behind the scenes to deliver a safe and reliable service for the Canberra community.
Because behind every successful journey is a team working together to keep the network moving.