Will the taxi surcharge work?

Operators should lower rentals instead

Wednesday / November 21, 2007

Letter from JASON CHIAM CHIAH SERN

In your report "While LTA wields stick, MP proposes carrot ?a new taxi surcharge" (Nov 19), Member of Parliament Seng Han Tong suggested having a location surcharge to improve taxi services in certain areas.

I do not think this will work as taxi drivers can choose not to pick up passengers.

Here are my suggestions to nip the errant cabby problem:

* Remove all unnecessary surcharges and charge a higher flat rate. Have a surcharge fee only for passengers departing from the airport.

* Premium taxis should cater only to customers who make phone bookings. This way, other taxis would face less competition for customers on the streets.

* Taxi companies should charge drivers lower monthly rental fees. This will inculcate goodwill between the company and its drivers, who in turn will provide better service to customers.

Finally, to send a stronger message to errant cab drivers, the authorities should suspend their licences immediately.

Add more fees to make cabbies happy
Letter from CHIAM TAT LIANG

I agree with the location surcharge and feel it can also improve the welfare of cabbies.

I have further suggestions:

* Impose a $2 surcharge for every additional stop for those going to more than one location.

* Taxi drivers should be allowed to turn on the meter from the stated time of an advance booking.

* Taxi companies should reimburse drivers the amount equivalent to the booking fee if passengers do not show up. The company can pursue the payment from the passengers who made the bookings.

* Instead of raising the flag-down fare, impose a minimum of $5 (excluding the surcharges) for each taxi trip and a minimum of $15 (excluding the surcharges) for trips departing from the airport.

This would ensure that the costs of taking a taxi are adjusted to current economic standards. Also, this would be fair to taxi drivers who have to travel a certain distance.

This should improve service standards and nip the problem in the bud, as drivers would feel they are reasonably compensated.


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