http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_176440.html
Nov 14, 2007
1. How long does it take you to get a cab during evening peak hours?
2. If you feel it's too difficult to get a cab or the wait is too long, what do you think can be done to improve the system?
3. Should the taxi fare structure be revised? If so, what kind of structure would you like to see?
1 comment:
STTeam
Administrator
Taxi quiz - November 13, 2007 Tuesday, 07:54 PM
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Do you have any suggestions on how to improve our taxi system?
STTeam
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(#5) your3rdi
November 13, 2007 Tuesday, 10:13 PM
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One very important way to cut down on pollution, time wasting and most of all energy wastage is by mandating that ALL taxi pick up is made by way of the booking system that is free of charge to passengers.
Currently, taxis ply routes in hope of getting passengers in-between peak hours. During such journeys there is a huge gap between where people are waiting for taxis and where the taxis are.
By making booking of cabs free of charge and encouraging the use of it, we can cut down energy burned in empty cabs plying the routes and cabs left running at taxi stands.
I do understand that taxi companies have spent thousands of dollars setting up their taxi booking system and would want to recover their costs. However, compensation can be given by the government for helping Singapore cut down on air pollution and energy wastage.
Other economic benefits will be that, we can truly gauge the true demand of taxis, remove the urge of taxi drivers to wait for bookings and passengers standing in taxi queues for more than one hour.
During peak hours, passengers can be assured of a taxi ride with an assurance on waiting times. For example, most taxis will ply in places where most passengers are during peak hours, these will be places like Shenton way, Orchard road, Marina area, etc. Passengers picked up from such destination would reach their homes/destinations in 30 minutes or less, and destinations being in Tampines, Bedok, Punggol, in short the heartlands, where taxis are usually scarce. Passengers waiting in the heartlands or in "hot" areas will be informed in advance when their cab will arrive.
Whether it be one hour or seven minutes, passengers are assured of a cab and the drivers assured of their passenger. If there are no passengers for pick up, taxis can be informed to go back to the work areas where the passengers are waiting. If there are shortages, the centralised booking system can track and increase supply if needed.
Another obvious benefit would be the cutting down of the usage of cars. More reliance on an efficient transport system will help potential car owners defer their purchase and make current car owners give up their cars.
Will taxi operators see their income plummet? I doubt it, if the government can compensate their investment in the booking system and the company only need to add to their fleet of taxis only if demand can be truly and statistically tracked and substantiated.
Is it a cost to the government? What is the cost of NOT implementing this system? I do not have to even talk about it, the government knows and from its efforts in curbing excessive use or wastage of energy, the government must consider this suggestion seriously.
your3rdi
(#6) ForumFirst
November 14, 2007 Wednesday, 12:04 AM
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This system is in use in some smaller cities in Japan.
There are not enough cabs in small cities.
No phone call, no taxi.
One cannot find a prowling taxis on the streets. They don't exist.
You cannot wave and stop a taxi on the street. No cab will stop. All cabs are on call via phone dial in.
Time for Raymond Lim to pay Japan a visit.
ForumFirst
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(#7) freefallfreak
November 14, 2007 Wednesday, 04:25 AM
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Quote:
1. How long does it take you to get a cab during evening peak hours?
2. If you feel it's too difficult to get a cab or the wait is too long, what do you think can be done to improve the system?
3. Should the taxi fare structure be revised? If so, what kind of structure would you like to see?
1. Too long.
2.a. Introduce [i]substantial[/i] PARF rebates (as opposed to mere head nodding rebates) - for electric / hybrid buses which companies can use (or legislate such use) to drop people off at nearby MRT stations, or various localities islandwide in a loop.
2.b. A computer to assign the closest, empty, moving cab to the caller regardless of whether the cabbie wants to accept it or not. Remove the human element from accepting bookings because cabbies pick and choose cab bookings based on name and destination. Some people end up waiting for 30 minutes just to get a booking then a further 10 or so minutes for the cab to arrive. If the system assigns the cab closest to the call, everybody calling gets the cab closest to them.
2.c. Cabs to have auto disable function of call booking, if the cab stops moving for any reason. This, and the reduced call booking profit disables 'loitering' around for a call. Cabbies either keep moving (picking up passengers from queues, roadsides, etc) or lose booking calls. Some cabbies will drive around instead of loitering around while waiting for a booking call. So make it illegal to pass a taxi queue without stopping. And it will be illegal to not stop for a passenger by a roadside beginning monday, so litlle chances for cabbies to drive around empty, waiting for booking calls.
2.d. 'Illegal' for cabs to drive into taxi queues and refuse to carry the first passenger, for any reason other than 'changing shift'.
3.a. Standard booking fee of $1. How you cab co's split it with your cabbie is upto you. FREE TIP: undercut each other by offering lower and even free bookings.
3.b. All ERP's for taxi's scrapped, why should public transport (cabs) that pays road tax and GST on fuel sales, creates jobs for cabbies, eases the strain on the bus and MRT, also have to pay the private / commercial vehicle structure of ERP? Why the need for an airport surcharge? Peak booking surcharge? Why this and that surcharge when buses, MRTs and cars don't pay such surcharges?
Ultimately in Utopia, public transport co's will be non-profit. But I guess that is so too radical a solution too soon, for a money loving planet. Or is it already so in Scandinavia?
freefallfreak
(#8) Retireed
November 14, 2007 Wednesday, 04:52 AM
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It is very frustrating to take a taxi in Singapore, especially nowadays when taxi drivers are becoming more focused on just money.
What to do?
1. Do away with all surcharges.
2. Raised the flag down rate.
3. Encourage free telephone calls bookings which will save on idle cruising and optimise satellite tracking investment.
4. Emphasize during training and retraining sessions to new and old drivers the importance of their service in providing timely and pleasant encounters and the associated advantages to them and their profession.
5. Come down hard on the errant drivers to make an example of them to deter others going down the same route.
By simplifying the system, the picky drivers will no longer have any excuse and play hide and seek. The only challenge here is how to determine the right flag down fare that is acceptable to all parties.
Retireed
(#9) Dr_ExK
November 14, 2007 Wednesday, 11:44 AM
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ST is asking questions that have been answered too many times ...
Dr_ExK
(#10) alcohol007
November 15, 2007 Thursday, 06:38 PM
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You are right Dr_ExK, ST is asking questions to which solutions have already been provided numerous times. I was going to write a long response but whats the use. Flag down rate is going to increase again coz of the increase in fuel prices. Anyways, this seems to be a futile exercise. Everybody knows what needs to be done (atleast the people who matter) but nothing is being done. Great going Singapore
alcohol007
lestherch
(#11) November 15, 2007 Thursday, 07:13 PM
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This was a self-inflicted problem by LTA, Management with huge EGO and high esteem that refused to LISTEN.
IF only LTA were to listen to the PUBLIC, all these problem would have disappeared long ago.
Firstly, there are the numerous surcharges that no one understand.
Secondly, the Big Taxi Operator are part of SINGAPORE INC,
and are seldom or never penalised.
Thirdly, the "Scholar or Top Talent" at LTA have HUGE Ego and HIGH self-esteem.
For their high salary,
they refused to acknowledge the mistake of the surcharges and continue to implement more and more ridiculous policy, like the recent penalty of more fines and penalty on errant drivers.
They should dealt a serious blow to the taxi operator who are "in league" or "refused to act" even after numerous complaints.
Removing the taxi licences will be more appropriate than the demerit system or fine or temporary suspension.
You are just waiting for the "storm" to blow over,
and the situation will be back in "square one".
You are not solving any problem,
you are adding-on to the increasing problem.
LTA
Fine the Taxi operators and removed the licence of the errant drivers.
LTA,
stop all the stupid surcharges.
LTA,
please listen to the Public,
for a win win scenario,
there is no "losing face",
keep your Ego in check.
lestherch
(#12) Prokinetic
November 15, 2007 Thursday, 07:19 PM
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Lester you are right. The few times I take a cab, I always get stumped by the myriad of surcharges slapped on.
Its also impossible to flag down a cab most days without having to resort to calling for one through the phone booking system. Within 5 minutes a cab will respond but then you will be slapped with a big booking fee.
Prokinetic
(#13) Prokinetic
November 15, 2007 Thursday, 07:41 PM
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The other suggestion I would have is for all the LTA execs and Taxi Company Bigwigs to go without their cars for a month and just try to commute by Taxi alone. Convene a meeting after the month is over and I am sure they will have more than enough ideas for a solution to the taxi problem.
Prokinetic
(#14) hongchris
November 15, 2007 Thursday, 08:47 PM
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Prokinetic, they can simply pre-book taxis the whole month. Then they will probably claim that there is no major problem with good and efficient booking system. Good job to taxi operators for making singapore a world class public transport system. Too many complicated surcharges? Nah... just keep the $50 note
hongchris
(#15) lobo_respawned
November 15, 2007 Thursday, 11:09 PM
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All penalities to be directed at the Cab companies instead of the cabby. The cab companies will then be motivated to make it hard for the cabby to tout or come up with 'ingenious' ideas that optimise the surcharge system.
e.g
1. Touting: Cab company will discharge any cabby who touts or IT pays the fine.
2. Optimisation of surcharge system: they WILL simplify the surcharge system so that there is nothing to 'optimise'. i.e no surcharge whatsoever would be the simplest system, and have no optimisation possibility.
The FINE, cannot be small. I think something to the tune of $50k where the taxi driver cannot afford, so that the fine does not get 'passed' to the cabby.
e.g if fine too small like $500, the company can ask the cabby to pay. He pays as he can afford it, and may still tout if he feels he can make enough.
MAKE the companies police their taxi drivers.
lobo_respawned
(#16) barra812
November 15, 2007 Thursday, 11:59 PM
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come on...dun repeat all over again the same grouses against taxi industries
come on...state what shd be the ultimate taxi fare commuter need to pay in terms of dollars or cents
what is most comfortable to all...
i dare you all to state so...if you wan free taxi rides please say so also
barra812
(#17) radoking
November 16, 2007 Friday, 09:21 PM
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You don't need TALENT to solve this problem.
Any layman can solved this except LTA.
Brilliant Mind with High-stake salary keep churning out "ridiculous policy",
surcharges, fines and penalty,
that no one understand.
Not everyone is as brilliant as the people in charge of LTA
so the problem remains,
and will persist.
radoking
(#18) f14dtomcat
November 16, 2007 Friday, 10:56 PM
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Tue. Nov.13 the Straits Times headline read: 'Errant cabbies to face stiffer penalties'. The following incident is TRUE, I didn't make it up.
Two days after the Nov.13 ST headline, On Nov.15 at the _ hotel in downtown, a taxi entered the hotel driveway to pick up hotel guest. Guest said, "To the airport". Driver said "$25". (regular metered fare to airport from town is about $14). Guest said, "ridiculous" and refused to board. The taxi driver then drove away.
Do you, LTA and taxi companies, know why I didn't bother to note the taxi number and make a report? Because I know your 'standard reply' and 'Slap on the wrist penalties' and I've had enough of it.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Taxi cheats and touts should have their licences removed PERMANENTLY, and their IC number and names circulated to all cab companies to prevent these pests from driving for a living ever again. No ifs, no buts......fullstop.
f14dtomcat
(#19) lestherch
November 17, 2007 Saturday, 09:39 AM
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yes, brilliant minds of LTA.
all these top talent never "think out of the box", they don't used the public transport, no bus ride, no train ride, no taxi ride.
with their top salary, they can afford high-end car to drive around.
The sad truth is that there is no practice, no practical lesson
so how can LTA "preach what it don't practice".
The textbook scenario is never the "real life" scenario,
the paper qualification has no merit here.
ST would have solved this problem,
if given the opportunity.
Any "tom, d*ck or harry" off the street, would have done a far better job at solving all the transport woes than the current Leaders at LTA.
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