‘Cheaper rides and shorter waiting time. This is the promise of ride hailing platform Grab, which announced its dynamic pricing model for taxi fares yesterday.’ Today paper.
Too good to believe but it is true, up to a point. This is what they called dynamic pricing and will adjust according to demand. LTA is also sold on the concept and has approved the formula. And other taxi companies are also jumping into this bandwagon. Who does not want to drive and charge according to demand? How does this square up to cheaper rides and shorter waiting time? Can demand and supply of taxis be fixed by the drivers? This is a big question.
But enjoy the cheap ride with shorter waiting time if this can be real. It means drivers are more efficient and willing to collect lesser far and to provide faster service. That is the promise. What is not promise is surge pricing, not sure about shorter waiting time, but very sure the price would surge. This reminded me of the time when telco companies could charge cheap packages but load on unlimited charges should the usage surge pass the limit of the package with some victims, especially the children and the ah mahs being charged hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Luckily this scourge was clamped down and a more decent formula to charge for usage exceeding a package was introduced. How could such practices be allowed, only god knows, but not before many fell victims and were a few hundred or thousand dollars poorer.
Another lucky thing about such unacceptable practice creeping into this surge thing is that there is now a cap of $60 for a trip. Not sure how this works, but I believe at most the damage would be $60 before the passenger is booted out. Would this happen, could this happen when the driver saw the meter hitting above $60 and knowing that he could not bill the passenger the additional charges?
The devil is when it is out in practice and how drivers circumvent this to their advantage. This is another good thing happening in the taxi business, not sure who is going to benefit from this scheme, the drivers or the passengers. Would the same scenario be repeated, off peak hours, all the taxis went hiding and reappear during surge period?
Oh, the $60 taxi fare is going to be a new normal. Still very cheap relative to the European and first world cities. So much be something very affordable to the rich Singaporeans.
//Would the same scenario be repeated, off peak hours, all the taxis went hiding and reappear during surge period?//
ReplyDeleteAngkor, sooner or later the Garman is gonna Surge /Dynamic pricing for electricity, water, gas, GST, fuel/petrol, manpower surge levy, mrt fares etc...this bziness model is perfect for this Sin City with the working model of " ..wat's wrong with collecting more monies?.."
Oh, the $60 taxi fare is going to be a new normal.
ReplyDeleteRB
No money, don't take taxi. No money, be late or delayed.
Not happy with PAP, vote opposition lah. If not, emigrate lah.
So that's the message, loud and clear.
But although Sinkies will kpkb more, but in the end they will still take taxis and vote PAP, tio bo?
So why not surge pricing for taxis? Why not NS for Sinkies, jobs for foreigners?
Not happy with PAP, vote opposition lah. If not, emigrate lah.
ReplyDelete9:33 am
Many Sinkies already emigrated lah, if they can.
That's why for GDP growth, PAP need to get foreigners to replace those who emigrate.
And in case votes for PAP not enough, get foreigners to be new citizens to vote for PAP.
There are good reasons why PAP want to have more foreigners and new citizens.
ReplyDeleteplease dont kpkb kpkb lah
70% voted OK-ed
living in singapore is like that lah
here up a little bit
there up a little bit
but when added together...."bay tar han"
singapore is ike that you dont know meh
no-money-no-talk
you-die-your-business
what can you do now
really....."money no enough"
hahaha..................
Anon 8:55 is reading the govt well. This surge pricing is going to be the new normal, just like pricing to make you feel the real value of things, strategic asset etc.
ReplyDeleteAlso the formula of compulsory schemes to siphon more CPF away from the CPF owners. How many more compulsory schemes are they scheming?
I do not have pricing issue using apps. My basic is: agree on the price for the trip. Charge to credit card or prepaid card. This way will be fair as the driver can go round using his own petrol.
ReplyDeleteCapping at a $60 is a prevention. Once i took a cab near airport. The cab man charged me surge charge to airport but we never went inside airport but headed to pie jurong. The fare can be huge with all those funny charges.
Taxi should work on a basis of agreed price for a trip first. No cash transactions. Fare on the road should be also base on this basis. First agree on this trip HOW much. Pay the cash. make sure reach destination. All cabs must have video recorders showing the transactions for taxi company to be responsible for legal actions on crime committed by driver or passengers.
I am more worried about the flooding jobless youth driving unmarked taxi. One can see unmarked taxi run by youth, delivers passengers to shopping malls and pick up instant passengers. There is no security for passengers.
Security? I still remember the case of one woman driver being killed and abundant the taxi at Tuas, if not wrong. That was time when sinkies were opening legs to workers from tais, sarawak, and more. There were women killed at taxi as driver, raped and killed at bk batok park during jogging. No security in taxing. Passengers can get it or driver can get it, as this is the national policy: open the border for foreigners to take up jobs freely, global city.
Do not buy my concern? Get killed in terrorised way is part of the deal in such policy opening border without check.
London this morning headlines: terrorist attacked 5 killed 40 injured. Go to dailymail to see the splash of blood and moaning. I think sinkies spreading their legs to greb and ubird without implementing control on foreigners driving cabs might aim for such attack sooner. The new way of terrorist attack is to speed off a vehicle and crash it on crowd.
If voters want to have better living in secured way to eat and work or run business, vote for opposition parties to control the border to get rid of the plan of 7 millions population to create jobless youth driving cars to earning income to help the poor families s fiances. Only voters can solve this poor economic conditions as the ways the elites doing are to increase prices from all directions. Increasing population will increase prices of all things. And the prices can never come down. How are sinkies gonna live their second generations with so high prices yet so lower and lower salaries? or jobless?
It come from voting for the policy of increasing prices by increasing population head counts. The worst is yet to come when the new comers get old in next 20 years. Hospital run out of beds. Vote for opposition is the only way now.
How are sinkies gonna live their second generations with so high prices yet so lower and lower salaries? or jobless?
ReplyDelete9:55 am
Not many Sinkies have lower and lower salaries or jobless lah.
And through IRAS returns, PAP also know how many Sinkies are OK with their salaries and still got jobs. That's why PAP no worry one because they know, unlike their critics.
Sure there will be some Sinkies with lower and lower salaries or jobless lah. But which country in the world has no poor or jobless people, u tell me lah?
They are waiting for a nasty incident to happen before they clean the semen from their eyes.
ReplyDeleteHow many more compulsory schemes are they scheming?
ReplyDeleteRB 9:51 am
As many more as PAP think majority Sinkies still got money to pay for it.
And through CPF, IRAS or even banking records, PAP knows how many Sinkies still got money. Banks have to report PAP on their deposits from retail customers, u know.
But even if Sinkies become much poorer as a result, so what? Didn't 70% still voted for PAP in GE 2015, as long as the opposition is disunited and not ready to be govt?
ReplyDeleteNot to worry. Not to worry.
We got the BEST govt in the world.
Our govt is very very kind to the masses.
They will take very very good care of you.
So worry not. So worry not.
Cheers.
You can be sure in the long run the consumers is the sucker. The mantra: pay according to affordability to be fair to those car owners.The govt has to fair to them, collect more mentality.
ReplyDeleteHiya, don't worry so much lah. Many PMET are now jobless or driving taxis. So this new normal is good for them mah. Now the jobless PMETs can also earn a decent living driving taxis mah. Work-to-Rule concept can be implemented mah. Good for Sinkies, right or wrong? Foreign Talents stingy, don't want to buy car; so they take cabs. Now Sinkies can sink into the pockets of the Foreign Talons mah. This is one way to revenge against losing jobs to foreigners, right or wrong?
ReplyDeleteAnybody here old enough like me to remember the promise of COE for cars when it was first introduced 25 years ago?
ReplyDeletePromise #1 - COE will control the car population.
True or not?
Promise #2 - COE will reduce traffic congestion.
True or not?
Promise #3 - "To build a democratic society based on justice and equality"
After 51 years .... true or not?
Anything good, the PAP will surely share with Singaporeans.
ReplyDeleteAfter 51 years ... true or not?
@anon 11.06am
ReplyDeleteVery True...if not why do u think the Garman can give u subsidy or grant here & there ( eg. U-save, SnCC subsidy, childcare subsidy, GST Cash vouchers, hdb resale grants, tuition grant, post sec bursary ...u name it..)..
"Anything good, the PAP will surely share with Singaporeans.
ReplyDeleteAfter 51 years ... true or not?"
True and truth. HK news said the shipping company ALP and the captain of the ship carrying terex armoy cars were charged in court for criminal offense not acquiring license for strategic weapon.
Sinkies garmen has done good for sinkies. No need to get charge.
Sinkies better thank capable hands. No sinkie has to answer for the offense yet owned up.
The fine and may be jail terms are all for the ship captain n company to absorb. That is a good move for unneeded risk? Bother to risk no license to ferry the weapons, for how much? Wait for the case to unfold to see if the risk worth thousands $HK, and how much is the fine.
...if not why do u think the Garman can give u subsidy or grant here & there ( eg. U-save, SnCC subsidy, childcare subsidy, GST Cash vouchers, hdb resale grants, tuition grant, post sec bursary ...u name it..)..
ReplyDelete11:31 am
Tiok. That's a good reason why 70% voted for PAP.
And for good reasons the 70% think the opposition cannot do that because they are not ready to be govt. If not ready to be govt, how to give subsidy? If MP is opposition, how to write successful appeal letters on residents behalf to govt agencies?
Don't worry lah. Soon foreign workers on Work Pass will start driving pirate taxis -- cheap & good. They will kick the balls & stick spurs into ass of Grab, Uber and all the other taxi companies. But you must be OK with taking lorries & cargo vans, as that will be the vehicles of choice by the foreign workers.
ReplyDeleteIf MP is opposition, how to write successful appeal letters on residents behalf to govt agencies?
ReplyDelete11:53 am
Tiok. That's why Chee Soon Juan lost even a by election. Because majority residents think, and for good reasons, he cannot serve them better than a PAP MP, if govt agencies throw away MP Chee's appeal letters.
ReplyDeleteHahaha.....anonymous 11.03am....the answer to your A level questions are......
Promise #1 - COE will control the car population........True
Promise #2 - COE will reduce traffic congestion.........True
Promise #3 - "To build a democratic society based on justice and equality"
After 51 years ........ True
Correct? Now what?
Resident evil 4.
ReplyDeleteUnclo, today marks the 2nd death anniversary of our Founding Fathers - Encik LKY. Be grateful & never take things for granted.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteAnon 10.09
He is telling all of us, if you got no abilities to earn a living, just blame yourself.
Typical PAP mouth organ.As told.to me by the PAP RC grass Rots.
Hope he can live thru his ripe age without assistance from his fellow men or government.
"And through IRAS returns, PAP also know how many Sinkies are OK with their salaries and still got jobs. That's why PAP no worry one because they know, unlike their critics.
ReplyDelete"
U PR so u do not live here at night lah. Pap mp knows when meet the people sessions, except the old fart who never did this for 30 yrs according to webs. Jobless people will go to see mp lah.
U know how much then need to report to iras? dont know right. Follow this blog, some days some one will teach u lah. I can tell u few pap mp or minister will bother to go to iras. i cannot tell u this word why inside there. u guess lah.
Because majority residents think, and for good reasons, he cannot serve them better than a PAP MP, if govt agencies throw away MP Chee's appeal letters.
ReplyDelete11:59 am
That's why opposition, and not just only Chee Soon Juan, can never win if their party is not ready or don't want to be govt.
Even WP Teochew Ah Hia and team also nearly lost, after Aljunied residents realised WP MPs are quite useless if WP is not ready, or do not want, to be govt.
I can tell u few pap mp or minister will bother to go to iras.
ReplyDelete1:37 pm
What go to iras? Being minister, iras will come to them with their report, OK?
iras will not give report to opposition MP, much less to unelected politician like Chee Soon Juan, even if they go to beg iras for info.
And iras and PAP will even hantam opposition MP or politician if they anyhow say things without data, OK. That's why WP MPs all diam diam one, scared kena hamtam mah.
And because WP MPs diam diam one, residents see them useless and no up lor.
//U PR so u do not live here at night lah. Pap mp knows when meet the people sessions, except the old fart who never did this for 30 yrs according to webs. Jobless people will go to see mp lah.//
ReplyDeleteYou're the one not living in S'pore lah. Most who see MPs are still working, mostly low-wage or odd job but still considered working. Most jobless PMEs don't go see MPs coz they know is useless. Only a few jobless PMEs will go see MPs --- MPs will tell them to upgrade, go see E2I, WDA, WSG, CDC, at most give $50 NTUC voucher.
After that some PMEs will really go to E2I, WDA, WSG, CDC for help. The civil servant there will tell the jobless to pay $10 and attend some resume & interview workshop conducted by an Ah Seng. If beg a bit more, they may give you another $50 NTUC voucher and then tell you fuck off.
I was a 1-year contract worker at Woodlands CDC before, so I know a lot of these cases.
Most jobless PMEs don't go see MPs coz they know is useless.
ReplyDelete2:13 pm
Very true. But even though useless, still better than see opposition MP, because lagi worse.
This is a good example"
ReplyDelete"Engineering & Aerospace was fined S$17,500 for failing to pay about S$30,000 in salaries as well as CPF). It was also barred from employing foreign workers, MOM said. "
So it was PR not paid salaries, from the ban on hiring foreign workers. What if NSmen salaries not paid? Bar from hiring foreigners? or bar citizens, but can hire foreigners?
This one lagi cut throat, makan until bone:
"These workers paid between $15,000 to $20,000 in recruitment fees to work in Singapore only to find themselves out of a job after their employer stopped paying them since last September. Later, the employer pressured them individually to sign payslips for those months in his office. For those who agreed to sign on the pay slips, he only gave $100- $120, a far cry from what was stated on the payslips."
Foreign talents are not paid salaries, are they talents? Hiring workers but asking them to sign pay slips only.
The elites have built up a good reputation for Singapore industries. Now sweeswee seemed to handle more cases of chasing salaries, no more seeing big groups of workers going to mom and asking reporters going to People s park to take pictures for them.
It is an improvement of foreign talents policy. What do u think?
That is why so many migrated overseas - so tired of being milked physically, financially, spiritually, mentally.
ReplyDeleteI rented a flat in Aljunied GRC. The rental kept rocketing by non-rocket non-scienttist. I needed help to get cheaper HDB rental flat. So I went to see my MP, whose office was just below my block. For months, once a week on the MPS Night, I would queue by registering my name and waited. The MP never turn up. Each time the excuse was, "She is very busy". The balls-carrying sycophantic grass-rot know-all running dogs would keep telling me: "I write a letter for you to HDB". I would keep insisting to see the MP. They told me come next week. It went on like that for 3 months. Even when the Elections was found the corner, I still could not see her. She lost together with George Yeo. She was the one who charged the mentally-challenged boy for throwing a chair at her office door when another MP was standing- in for her. Moral of the story: even with PAP MP, you cannot get help because they are only part-time MPs and do so reluctantly. Their main aim in entering politics is wealth, fame and status, not to help you. That's why they are always busy - doing what? Directorship Collection! $10K per directorship. 10 directorships=$100K easy money!
ReplyDelete@ redhead:
ReplyDeleteYou aren't real;y understanding the difference between ride-share and taxicabs. Yes, surge pricing works on supply and demand...think of it as a sort of mark to market system.
Ride-share drivers use their own vehicles---or 'private' vehicles which they rent or borrow. During 'normal' times, no problem. Ride share drivers are everywhere---usually going about their day. They all have their smartphones turned on and the drivers' ride-share app running.
When a customer orders a ride via an app, the software polls 8, 10 (some number) drivers in the area. Drivers respond quickly and can trust the software (haha), because the software won't poll drivers in Jurong when the customer is in Changi; for example.
When the activity on the network increases---i.e. the system detects increasingly more orders for Grabs or Ubers, the surge pricing algorithms go to work. The prices for rides INCREASE. This is necessary to INCENTIVISE private vehicle drivers to serve the current market demand. Surges usually occur during PEAK times so there's also increased traffic density and the likelihood of slow traffic and traffic jams.
Increased prices also INCENTIVISES customers to share the fare with others. And also to seek other forms of transport or reschedule their journey to a non-surge time, freeing up more available ride-share and slowing the rate of surge increase.
Uber, Grab, Lyft, Airbnb and a growing list of other startups are all part of the new sharing economy which is INCREDIBLY DISRUPTIVE, but is wonderfully efficient at allocating resources. Airbnb is severely impacting the hospitality industries. Ride-share businesses have close to destroyed state-controlled taxi companies all over the world, leading to numerous violent protests and speedy but lousy 'regulation' by governments who were mostly caught off guard .
Usually the brains behind these straps are very young people, many of whom became billionaires before age 30. Airbnb's founder was only 25yr old when he started. Uber's founder---in his early 30's when the first cyber pawang-cha started a global disruption. China's largest ride-share (there are others) Didi Chuxing's founders are all young.
The Uber or Sharing Economy is here to stay and grow EXPONENTIALLY, which is to be expected in the 'early days' of something new which catches on. The network effects greatly contribute to the overall growth, revenue and hence wealth of the owners.
And of course there is the downside: when disruptive tech "succeeds", the old tech or system disappears or is carved away at a very high rate, thus causing large losses in capital values and JOBS. The fact that the world is globalised now makes matters WORSE for those caught in the downside of disruptive tech. For e.g. Uber is HQ'd in California, but earned it's USD5.5 billion last year globally without exporting one single thing from the USA. All every user had to do was DOWNLOAD AN APP. 🤡
redbean, I suggest have a look at the sharing economy, since you care about people being thrown out of jobs. When we were young we were taught that its good to share things with others. Nowadays, the more you share, the more people lose their jobs, and the originators of whatever brilliant sharing idea get wealthier. And they should.
How to become rich? Serve as many customers as possible for as long as possible.
Back to the old days of par hong Chias.
ReplyDeleteThat time many jobless and became pirate taxis.
They clamped it down. Now many gonna be unemployed again and they allowed it back.
They gonna followed Matland land style. No bargaining. Time to slaughter you.
Certain High Density areas and attractions reserved for Dato's run conglomerates.
SINKIE land for Tema SICK. What's New technology? ?
It's the same for taxis plying business and just because they have an apps. to book the cabs.
what's nonsense, still par hong Chias. Many with the high cost of owning cars used this to supplement their mortgages.
Do part time and earn to upkeep their posh cars.
In fact they are pirate cabbies.
Anyway, this will keep the picking cherries taxi drivers on their toes and not to put OnCall signs when they see you flagging them.Just to slaughter you extra booking fees.
The original concept of pah ong chia is sound. Provide the drivers that are willing to work hard to serve the customers. This surge pricing thing stinks to high heavens where the angels and immortals live. The concept is the same as the water fee hike, COE, millionaire super talent minister salary, tipping for good service or pay for the service you can afford.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the bottom line, no money no talk. No money no service. Only the rich or those who can afford should get the service, the more they are willing to pay, the better service they get.
How about MRT and public transport also apply this principle to their rides? What about paying to see your MP? What about paying more school fees for better branded schools, public hospital services? Restaurants should also apply surge pricing?
Kee seow still dunno. This is the same as money equals dignity.
Did Lee Con Yew or Lee Gonged Yew ?
ReplyDeleteCon Yew or Gonged Yew ?
Kee seow still dunno.
ReplyDeleteRB 8:47 pm
Seow they may be, but there is method in their kee seow.
If not, despite being kee seow as perceived by RB, how come they could still win 70% votes?
Or is it the 70% also kee seow? Seow lang vote seow lang? (Mad people vote their own kind?)
Rb, the concept of surge pricing is not invented by grab or uber. It's already being used by garmen in ERP pricing so different time segment has different rate for example the most expensive ERP gate at CTE in the morning is $6 per pass. So they understand the concept of surge pricing which is essentially for people who have the economic mean to have priority to use the resources first, in another word the rich has the first bite on things or services being offered, so for the 60% ( 70% minus the 10% rich) don't kpkb as u deserve it.
ReplyDeleteAnon 7:16, you are perfectly right about surge pricing in ERP. Heard of surge pricing affecting milk powder? This is going to be my next piece. Surge pricing is the way to go. Sinkies cannot take the heat, get out of this island and surrender it to the foreigners.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteProfiteers are looking and or are waiting for every and any opportunity and reason to fleece the People aka consumers.
Sin has no conscience and
limit.
patriot
@ redbean:
ReplyDelete>> Heard of surge pricing affecting milk powder? <<
Not in Singapore. But in China, absolutely. Did you know that enterprising young Asians (students, homemakers) buy Australian-made milk powder and seel for a premium to China parents?
Some are making ~AUD 12k + per month.
The report centres around students from China. I can tell you Singaporeans and Malaysians are playing in this space too. What's more, if you collect the payment into an OFFSHORE ACCOUNT, YOU AVOID AUST TAX!
SURGE PRICING? Good lah!
Actually, Surge/or Dynamic pricing is not new concept. It's a kind of 'auction' that the buyers with highest bid wins in a competitive market ( like the stock market. The garmen may even introduce this kind of a Surge/or Dynamic pricing into our daily lives consumption in the name of 'pricing everything correctly'. The reverse of this is similar to the old days of gambling the 'chap jee gee' or '十二只'（where the least bids win the prize monies)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this news with us,.
ReplyDeleteبث مباشر