Here's how to ease taxi trauma - Scrap taxi-booking system, up fares

Voices // Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Here's how to ease taxi trauma
Scrap taxi-booking system, up fares
Letter from ERIC TEO CHIN HONG

I refer to the report "While LTA wields stick, MP proposes carrot" (Nov 19). Member of Parliament Seng Han Thong has proposed a location surcharge to increase the supply of taxis at "busy places" such as pubs, hotels and shopping malls.

This proposal may make the problem worse as taxi drivers may decide to stay away from the designated areas. This would force commuters to call for a taxi instead, and allow drivers to earn the booking fee in addition to the location surcharge.

I feel the root of the problem lies in the taxi-booking system itself.

Many taxi drivers find the booking fees so attractive that they would rather drive around while waiting for a booking, instead of picking up passengers.

Try flagging a taxi between 6pm and 10pm on a weekday at Raffles Place and the magnitude of the problem becomes clear.

A simpler way to address the problem would be to scrap the booking system. Instead, I suggest charging a premium in addition to the general taxi fares, similar to the current midnight charge.

Together with the increase in peak-hour fares, the scrapping of the taxi-booking system would see taxis in areas where demand is the greatest.

I hope the authorities consider eliminating this as it is hurting Singapore's bid to provide a world-class public transport system.

What about the 'non-busy' areas?
Letter from HALIM WAHAB

I am surprised by MP Seng Han Thong's proposal to introduce a location surcharge.

If a surcharge is introduced for "busy areas", it may make it very difficult for commuters to find taxis in other "non-busy" locations, such as in the heartlands.

Changi Airport is a good example. There is usually a long queue of taxis waiting for passengers there.

If these taxis were plying the streets, we would not face such a taxi shortage.

Let the cabbies take home more money
Letter from ARTHUR TAN

I refer to David Lim's letter "Usage charges are better" (Nov 14). I agree that such surcharges only add to our taxi woes.

The authorities should simply increase general taxi fares and eliminate surcharges so that taxi drivers can take home more money.

Perhaps the Electronic Road Pricing for taxis could be reviewed as well.