2/06/2009

3 cardinal sins committed by taxi operators

Premier Taxis MD, Lim Chong Boo, wanted to lower the $2.80 flag down fare during non peak hours. Johnny Harjantho, MD of Smart Taxis wanted the 35% surcharge for peak hour fares reviewed. And Neo Nam Heng of Prime Taxis wanted the authority to allow the operators to use used cars which are cheaper and can reduce operating cost. After fighting so hard to get the current fare scheme to be running without too much objections from the commuters, which increases their income by the way, how could the taxi operators want to turn the table to lower fares? Have they forgotten about the problems of the past when there were too many fares and too many taxis clogging the roads, and long queues? With the current high fares and surcharges, they need only pick lesser passengers and work lesser hours to get higher returns. And with a better paying passenger profile, lesser taxis need to run the roads, and traffic woes will be a thing of the past. The better paying passengers will definitely demand better quality or newer taxis since they are paying more for it. Second hand cars are old and not worth paying the high fares and surcharges. And don’t forget, with lesser passengers being able to afford to take taxis, the queues will be shorter and make taking taxis a privilege of those who can afford it. And that should be the way. Taking taxis is a privilege of the more wealthy commuters. They want the convenience, not to wait and wait.

2 comments:

Jaunty Jabber said...

Fighted hard to push for increases in the fares and succeeded. Now, reversing to lower back down. Does it mean that the previous move was wrong?

Wrong, no problem, just admit the mistake and take corrective action. If the previous multiple increases and add-ons to taxi fares brought no benefit to both the drivers and the commuters, change it!

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

i think the taxi drivers did not asked for the hefty increases. they were decided by people with good intentions.

now the good intentions are causing the taxi drivers to lose their business faster with more commuters unable to afford the high fares turning to trains and buses.

once they get used to the trains and buses, they will skip the taxis as their main mode of transport.