(#2) cc1034 Yesterday, 10:26 PM
True enough!! I have wrote in the earlier DB on the taxi issue and now finally the taxi operator and LTA has confirmed that it is illegal to give discount. The taxi drivers are not driving taxi as their own business entity but merely like the poor worker bees bringing back their hard earned "honey" to feed the fat "Queen" bee and her royal princes and princess. How can they allowed the queen to be deprived of this income!
(#3) Misnomer Yesterday, 10:34 PM
But the taxi operator said, it is up to the taxi drivers to charge less? Don't they know the rules? Tsk, tsk.
(#4) limchukang Yesterday, 10:49 PM
Is this not another example of killing creative spirit?
(#5) AndyMike Yesterday, 10:56 PM
Didn't Tammy Tan of Comfort said that cabbies are businessmen? And if so, why can't businessmen give discounts? If LTA can't solve the taxis problems, then what rights do they have in interfering with cabbies giving discounts? And what have those taxi companies done to solve the issue? It's really about time that all cabbies go on strike at one go by stop renting taxis for one month from their respective operators.
(#6) grognard Yesterday, 11:15 PM
It may be against company policy, but it is hardly illegal.
The Public Transport Council Act (CAP 259B) states:
Bus, taxi and rapid transit system fares
23. —(1) No person shall be entitled to demand and take any bus, taxi or rapid transit system fare in excess of that approved by the Council.
[29/95;29/99]
(2) Subsection (1) shall not prevent any person from demanding or taking a lower fare than that approved by the Council.
[29/99]
(#7) geylangkid Yesterday, 11:55 PM
All these talk about having competition to reduce cost and improve quality is just a smoke screen to charge more from the consumers. The truth is LTA does not support compeition.
What is the use of having a group of taxi companies when they all operate as a oglipoly? In fact, the pricing is just like a monopoly whether it is 1 or 10 companies.
Now you wonder why cost of living in Singapore keeps going up?
(#8) sloem Today, 12:36 AM
I think LTA meant it is ok to give a discount, but you cant advertise it.
Sort of like, you know last time doctors and lawyers arent allowed to advertise too.
(#9) audione Today, 01:47 AM
I am not surprised. It is harder n harder to make a living these days... cos many things are never legal. Never. It is as if one has to painfully break the rules just to survive? Is this not like torture?
(#10) hotwoks Today, 02:16 AM
LTA and taxi companies are very happy of the fact that this fare hike has been successful. Now there are more taxis than people wanting to take cabs at any time of the day. It does not matter that business is poor for cabbies, as long as people stop complaining there are no cabs on the road. This fare hike is in a way a pay back time for taxis that wait for cab bookings in the past. Now there is fewer bookings and more empty cabs on the road, just like in HK. This situation is for a long run and not a knee jerk reaction as the media reports. It is very pathetic for drivers now, just stand on the road and see 4 or 5 cabs past you by, really hoping you raise your hand.
(#11) adtpwong2 Today, 03:28 AM
This is a double whammy for Cab Drivers in Singapore. Oil price going through the roof and plying for illusive passengers! I read that cab drivers are earning more so why penalise the guy who is not in that class to eke out 2 meals by lowering fare? Com'on LTA & Cab companies, allow free competition for the common good of all! If a mistake to increase fare was made, be b to reverse it.
(#12) kianguan Today, 06:01 AM
But this proves that taxi drivers find it hard to get commuters during that period of time.
kianguan
(#13) Prokinetic Today, 07:24 AM
Looks like it is already a fiasco.
(#14) hongchris Today, 07:40 AM
When just A taxi driver give discounts, the authorities reacts so fast in the media. When so MANY taxi drivers tout, the authorities takes weeks to react.
(#15) Arkaniod Today, 08:42 AM
In Singapore, we are t to allow market to dictate pricing. When cost of goods increases, the potential unintended consequence is a lost of demand as people begin to explore alternative. So there is a need to strike an equilibrium, where price increase does not lead to too significant lose of demand. Base on what the Taxi Companies have expressed: " Less waiting time for taxi". It since like the equilibrium has been distrubed. For taxi drivers to resort to give discount, they are just trying to find ways to maintain their source of income. Can LTA be more compassionate. To really help the drivers, it is not able taxi price hike. There are other ways, like reducing taxi rental rate, especially if the companies are making huge profit.
(#16) kenshing Today, 08:53 AM
So Hypocritical. First they say it is up to the cab drivers and now go after them. It is a sad day for cab drivers.
(#17) Misnomer Today, 09:45 AM
The circus is coming to town.
(#18) Sg_benwong Today, 10:12 AM
If LTA come in hard on those Cab drivers in giving out discounts and insists on their approved new rate, wouldn't this practice against Anit-Competition Law?
(#19) dpiwg1 Today, 10:13 AM
People power is working, continue to boycott taxi. Taxi drivers give up driving. Big companies will have problem in their hands.
(#20) clairsingapore1 Today, 10:20 AM
Let the current situation be a wake up call to Taxi - Companies as to who are REALLY contributing to their fat salary and obscene profits ! Without taxi-drivers to rent cabs, and passengers to pick-up. Why do we need them in the first place? Don't bite the hand that feeds or else you will starve to death!
(#21) ongchinkai28 Today, 10:27 AM
Dear LTA, if you have time, think of how to improve singapore crowded roads, crowded trains, crowded bus. Dont waste time catching cabbies who give discount to make a decent living.
ongchinkai28
(#22) weischin Today, 10:34 AM
What a sad state of affair! If all taxi drivers charge lower and earn more at the end of the day, then LTA and the taxi companies will realize their policies are flawed.
(#23) shirleep Today, 10:34 AM
All this talk about discounts, why should the taxi operators (or LTA) care how much is collected as long as the taxi driver pays his rental of the cab, licence , whatever ? Do they also look into the tips they get for the day? This is ridiculous.
I personally think it is okay for them to give discount. It's up to the taxi drivers to decide how much bacon he wants to bring home. There can be instances where there is not enough loose change so he rounds it up, etc..
Gosh, rules here and rules there, (by society's standard and expectations) aren't our lives rigid enough as it is?
(#24) lobo_respawned Today, 11:36 AM
i should think just putting up a discount sign is okay. It hardly counts as soliciting. In the end, it is up to the fare to wave to the cab when he see the discount sign.
The calling at people at bus-stops should be illegal though. That IS soliciting for business, and there is also some danger of bus-cab collision?
(#25) AlfonsoAlAzhar Today, 11:44 AM
There are more complex and routine road issues and problems for LTA to look into and tackle, rather than bullying a poor taxi driver who thought 'out of the box' to improve his earnings.
Give him a break....
(#26) jonbummer Today, 12:14 PM
LTA and the taxi companies should see this as a failure on their latest price increase exercise which Forces taxi drivers to think of ways and means to survive. Is it not that taxi drivers being consider as 'self employed'? if that is so, why are there so many restrictions for them to make a living? also, those sitting comfortably making decisions should reflect on why there are less taxi passengers with the latest increase... because everything else have increase in their prices but not our earnings. so luxury will have to be forgo first.
(#27) AndyMike Today, 12:34 PM
What we have is but a bunch of highly paid idiots whose "solutions" are creating more problems than solving problems! But there is one thing which I just cannot understand, that is, if cabs are not even considered a component of public transport, then why do they fall under the Public Transport Council Act? Can somebody with legal understanding care to explain? And if cabs are considered even as a component of public transport system, which will justify why they should fall under the Public Transport Council Act, then why do cabs have to pay ERPs? Or is it because LTA, ultimately the government, will be deprived of the hundred of thousands of dollars per day that these cabs (or commuters) are paying that cabs are not considered as a component of public transport system? Isn't this very contradicting?
(#28) wychan188 Today, 12:44 PM
LTA should punish those who over-charge but not those who offer discount to attract customers. This is a free trade world and we should let the forces of supply and demand strike an equilibrium. Let these forces, and not the authorities and regulators, determine the economy of public transport.
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