Nov 22, 2007
THE editorial comment, 'High fares the taxi solution' (ST, Nov 17), is very insightful.
I agree that doing away with all the surcharges and call-booking except airport charge and replacing them with a sharp increase in the flagdown rate is one of the right fundamentals.
The second is the willingness of taxi companies to find a common ground between their corporate priority of profit maximisation and taxi drivers' meaningful take-home income.
The third has to be offering regular in-house training on professionalism and customer service by the taxi companies to their hired and relief drivers.
All stakeholders in this industry must accept the fact that a good taxi service must entail some sacrifice on their part.
Raymond Lo Wan Mou
1 comment:
(#2) takefive
November 22, 2007 Thursday, 07:28 AM
Your letter is the best this morning. Short & sweet & to the point.
(#3) annewongholloway
November 22, 2007 Thursday, 07:53 AM
Way to go!
(#4) raymond_lo
November 22, 2007 Thursday, 11:21 AM
Dear takefive,
Thank you very much of your compliment.
I am a cabby for about 4 years after my retirement.
I am still driving as a relief driver once a week to 'kill' time, and to keep myself up todate on interests and events in Singapore.
WARMEST REGARDS & BEST OF HEALTH
Yours sincerely,
Raymond Lo
(#5) hubhubhub
November 22, 2007 Thursday, 12:16 PM
ComfortDelgro bought this technology from MBH for hailing taxis.
Mobile phone users in London should soon be able to hail the capital's black cabs simply by using their mobile phones.
The location-based service comes from an outfit called Zingo, which, incidentally is owned by MBH, the company that makes London's taxis.
Anyhow, Zingo uses mobile technology to put passengers directly in contact with black cab drivers in their area that are free for a fare.
When a punter calls Zingo from their mobile, location-based technology pinpoints where they are. At the same time, global positioning satellites identify Zingo taxis in the area that are free.
Then, punters are automatically connected to an available cab driver in their area before the prospective passenger tells the cabbie exactly where they are. Bingo.
Deploying this technology, taxi companies can do away with call booking surcharge. Passengers call for a taxi and the nearest taxi respond automatically. Taxis do not need to cruise empty burning fuel at US$100 per barrel. A win win situation for everyone, taxi drivers increase their income from more fares and reduce their costs by less cruising empty, passengers can get taxis more easily and taxi companies have happier drivers, almost all tourists and visitors have mobile and call a single number. Singapore can now boast of having the best taxi system.
Better service through productivity.
(#6) chiabb
November 22, 2007 Thursday, 01:53 PM
I always believe that if you want to get to the bottom of the problem - ask the people actually doing it.
Raymond LO, you're no ivory-towered, aircon office, theory-only, scholar man! But you really get to the heart of the matter.
"I am still driving as a relief driver once a week to 'kill' time, and to keep myself up todate on interests and events in Singapore."
Whoa - that's another of my beliefs verified. If you want to know wha's happenin' - talk to a cabby. Maybe our our-of-touch politicians and civil servants should do just that to know what's what. Maybe that's why they implemented National Education Courses for cabbies some time ago to 'brainwash' them.
Raymon Lo - You the man!
(#7) star16888
November 22, 2007 Thursday, 09:35 PM
#5 hubhubhub,
the technology you mentioned sounds really good. But you think the taxi company will providing them for free?? you know what is "tangugu" - wait long long.
(#8) Vlahov_21
Yesterday, 12:31 AM
Takefive:
"Raymond_lo"
"#4"
"Thanks."
"WARMEST REGARDS & BEST OF HEALTH TO YOU TOO."
"Sincerely yours"
"Takefive"
(#9) Misnomer
Yesterday, 12:38 AM
Well said, but will the suggestions in this and the various "taxi" threads fall on deaf ears?
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