10/21/2007

Time to raise taxi fares

There were many calls in the msm to curb the irresponsible ways of cabbies and their exploitation of foreign tourists. Our reputation as a paradise island for tourists is going to be badly affected. We cannot allow this to continue. On the other hand, with cost of operating the taxis going up, with food prices going up, how are the cab drivers going to maintain their lowly lifestyle? They need to earn enough to feed their families. It is time to raise taxi fares. How many years have they been driving their taxis without an increase in fare? If there is no increase, their income will quickly be swallowed by the runaway inflations. Poor chaps. But if the fares are raised, all the commuters who have to take taxis will be hurt again and their salaries must be raised too. That must be the way to go forward. And everyone will be happy and taxi touts will go away.

4 comments:

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Cab fares are still way below true free market rates. (Evidence: cab drivers are resorting to "sidelines" to earn extra cash)

Personally, I would like to see govt price controls taken off transport altogether. Everyone is entitled to earn a "decent" wage, set by the market.

IMO, even if cab fares doubled, it would still be "cheap".

Anonymous said...

i understd their concerns, our local road sweepers used to think they couldnt survive too, and the solution then was .. grateful hungry foreign laborers coming to the rescue.

it is time the authorities bring in grateful and hungry drivers from china or malaysia who have good track record and background, to relieve our taxi drivers.

we really cant live with the current taxi shortage forever.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

anonymous has a good idea. import more fts. it will also help to hit the 6.5 million population faster.

for those taxi drivers who think they should deserve to earn more, let them know the truth of competition and hungrier workers that are willing to take over their jobs.

am i wicked?

Anonymous said...

The problems lied on most of the taxi drivers itself, they are self employed which mean they are own boss & answerable to themselve. A lot of them are slack of service oriented mindset, they don't bother to find out the destnation where passengers wanted to go & expected passenger to direct them to the place. Some even dare to yelled at you that they are not providing any service to the commuter, look they simply don't know or to proud to serve even though they are in service industry.

2nd, LTA Should allow them to enter city freely without imposed ERP charges, increase the flat rate to $3.50, but the meter need to set to 250m per 10 cents charge instead of 220m to 175m. Look, logically, we take cab & the charge should be charge by distance coverage & not by time coverage, why there are too many traffic light all over the small island almost every 25m will hit the traffic, it cost trafiic jamm & time delayed & is pretty much unfair to passenger b'cos of their time lost caught in the jammed.

Lta should reduce those extra traffic light especially light location at two lane road, T-junction & re-design the traffic light distance.

One ex. one morning, I got a cab @ jurong east headed to creative building, guessed what it cost be around $5++ for just two bus stop distance & b'cos it due to stupid traffic light( too many cost jamm, time delay & money incur more), isn't it damn fustrated right.

LTA should remove limonsine Service b'cos it charge at least $35 or $50 per trip, & remove those booking charges, sub-charges & make the charge simple as stated above.

Lastly, encourage taxi company not to bring in luxury cab, it a waste of enery consumption & high maintenance, & the rental wil probably start at $65 per day & only allow to increase rental when taxi driver are able to earn more as target hit.

This are my personnel opinion, do feel free to share your view.