Showing posts with label taxiexperience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label taxiexperience. Show all posts
Saturday, 26 April 2008
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
SMRT taxi driver made customer's day with kind act
Dec 18, 2007
THE following e-mail highlights my recent journey with an SMRT taxi, of which the experience exceeded my expectations despite the initial dissatisfaction.
My partner and I boarded the taxi with registration number SHB5507S near Neptune Court, on Sunday, Dec 16, around 2.15pm.
The intended alighting point was Simei Street 1, which I mentioned to the driver upon boarding. Being weekend travellers from Kuala Lumpur, we were not familiar with the routes, but were happy that the driver asked us if it was okay to use the CTE, of which we duly acknowledged while stating that we preferred the fastest route. As the journey progressed, the meter fare and travel time exceeded our initial estimates. We then realised that the driver had taken us towards the Sin Meng area. At this point, the fare was already about $12+, as compared to $8 when we travelled earlier in the afternoon (Simei-Neptune Court).
Upon clarification that we intended to go to Simei and not Sin Meng, the driver was unable to provide us with a travel time estimate, but assured us that he would get us there in the fastest time. At this point our itinerary was in disarray as we had spent over 20 minutes in the taxi, and were due to board a bus out of Singapore at 4.30pm from Novena Square.
Upon finally arriving at our destination in Simei, the meter fare was around $23. The driver apologised for the inconvenience, and offered to accept a fare similar to what we had paid for the past journey. We offered $10, but he refused and took only $8.
We were comforted by this act of genuine kindness, and acknowledge that even though it was an inconvenience, it could have very well been an honest error.
We would like to thank the driver for making the journey a memorable experience, and for getting us to our destination safely. Many a time, we hear stories of unfriendly and dishonest taxi drivers, but not on this encounter. I believe this SMRT experience under the circumstances is a worthy benchmark to emulate.
It is definitely a 'uniquely Singapore experience', and we look forward to riding with SMRT again on our next visit.
Praveen Rajan Nadarajan
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
THE following e-mail highlights my recent journey with an SMRT taxi, of which the experience exceeded my expectations despite the initial dissatisfaction.
My partner and I boarded the taxi with registration number SHB5507S near Neptune Court, on Sunday, Dec 16, around 2.15pm.
The intended alighting point was Simei Street 1, which I mentioned to the driver upon boarding. Being weekend travellers from Kuala Lumpur, we were not familiar with the routes, but were happy that the driver asked us if it was okay to use the CTE, of which we duly acknowledged while stating that we preferred the fastest route. As the journey progressed, the meter fare and travel time exceeded our initial estimates. We then realised that the driver had taken us towards the Sin Meng area. At this point, the fare was already about $12+, as compared to $8 when we travelled earlier in the afternoon (Simei-Neptune Court).
Upon clarification that we intended to go to Simei and not Sin Meng, the driver was unable to provide us with a travel time estimate, but assured us that he would get us there in the fastest time. At this point our itinerary was in disarray as we had spent over 20 minutes in the taxi, and were due to board a bus out of Singapore at 4.30pm from Novena Square.
Upon finally arriving at our destination in Simei, the meter fare was around $23. The driver apologised for the inconvenience, and offered to accept a fare similar to what we had paid for the past journey. We offered $10, but he refused and took only $8.
We were comforted by this act of genuine kindness, and acknowledge that even though it was an inconvenience, it could have very well been an honest error.
We would like to thank the driver for making the journey a memorable experience, and for getting us to our destination safely. Many a time, we hear stories of unfriendly and dishonest taxi drivers, but not on this encounter. I believe this SMRT experience under the circumstances is a worthy benchmark to emulate.
It is definitely a 'uniquely Singapore experience', and we look forward to riding with SMRT again on our next visit.
Praveen Rajan Nadarajan
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Cabby made a big scene although it was the taxi phone operator who made destination mistake
ST Dec 18, 2007
WITH reference to the recent announcements on increases in cab fares, I would like to recount a dreadful encounter I just had with a cab driver.
I would like to know if the relevant cab operators have a response in terms of how standards of service may also be corrected to correspond with the higher rates passengers have to pay.
I was waiting in line at the cab stand at Clarke Quay in River Valley Road on Oct 13 at around 10pm. As the queue was very long, I tried calling three different lines (some of which got disconnected even after they have established my pick-up location and destination) to book a cab. It was only about an hour later that I managed to get a booking from SMRT but my nightmare had only just begun.
By the time the cab driver called me on my mobile phone, I was already reaching the start of the queue but thought I would just leave the line to honour the booking. Imagine my dismay when I realised that the operator had gotten my destination wrong. Faced with an unhappy situation of either being taken to a place which is less than a quarter of the way to my home or rejoining the queue, I decided to call the cab operator, refusing to leave the cab until the mistake had been resolved.
The cab driver, who should have tried to resolve this problem, being part of the organisation that had made the mistake, was evidently unhappy about my choice of action and barked at me to get off his cab, alternating his rants with orders to get the cab operator to call him. He also made it a point to state that his commitment was to his next appointment and not to me, a customer whose time his organisation had wasted.
I spent at least 20 minutes on the phone with the cab operator, who, in all fairness, tried to resolve the problem. Throughout the entire time, I was subjected to yellings from the cab driver, who went as far as to open the passenger door and shout at me to get out. He stopped at times to argue with the bystanders (most of whom were foreigners) who had tried to intercede on my behalf. 'Whatever it is,' some of them had reasoned, 'it is only right that you take the young lady home since it's already so late.' These were unfortunately returned with unnecessary insults from the enraged driver, who had given retorts like 'Who are you? Tony Blair?'.
I thought the issue was finally resolved when the operator finally secured a replacement booking for me, after which the driver flashed me a gleeful grin prior to driving off. In an uncanny coincidence the next day, I was harassed by an anonymous crank call, from a disturbingly familiar voice, making spitting noises into the phone.
I am rather shaken by the incident, having been hollered at in the presence of least 50 other passengers for something that had resulted from a mistake by the service provider. I was also deeply disgraced that many of the foreigners who had witnessed the scene would be taking away this episode as part of their memories of Singapore. Last, I find it very distressing to consider what other types of disturbances I may be subjected to in the aftermath of the incident, given that the cab driver now has my phone number.
Most of us are resigned to the inevitability of hikes in cab fares but I think it is only fair to consumers that the increments are matched by a commitment to raise or, in the very least, maintain a minimum level of service standards and integrity among staff.
Hopefully, the operators will not disappoint and respond that consumers would have to contribute to the retraining of staff by paying X amount more per Y km from whichever day moving forward. I am, by the way, still awaiting an explanation from SMRT with regard to this incident.
Ng Kian Pin (Ms)
WITH reference to the recent announcements on increases in cab fares, I would like to recount a dreadful encounter I just had with a cab driver.
I would like to know if the relevant cab operators have a response in terms of how standards of service may also be corrected to correspond with the higher rates passengers have to pay.
I was waiting in line at the cab stand at Clarke Quay in River Valley Road on Oct 13 at around 10pm. As the queue was very long, I tried calling three different lines (some of which got disconnected even after they have established my pick-up location and destination) to book a cab. It was only about an hour later that I managed to get a booking from SMRT but my nightmare had only just begun.
By the time the cab driver called me on my mobile phone, I was already reaching the start of the queue but thought I would just leave the line to honour the booking. Imagine my dismay when I realised that the operator had gotten my destination wrong. Faced with an unhappy situation of either being taken to a place which is less than a quarter of the way to my home or rejoining the queue, I decided to call the cab operator, refusing to leave the cab until the mistake had been resolved.
The cab driver, who should have tried to resolve this problem, being part of the organisation that had made the mistake, was evidently unhappy about my choice of action and barked at me to get off his cab, alternating his rants with orders to get the cab operator to call him. He also made it a point to state that his commitment was to his next appointment and not to me, a customer whose time his organisation had wasted.
I spent at least 20 minutes on the phone with the cab operator, who, in all fairness, tried to resolve the problem. Throughout the entire time, I was subjected to yellings from the cab driver, who went as far as to open the passenger door and shout at me to get out. He stopped at times to argue with the bystanders (most of whom were foreigners) who had tried to intercede on my behalf. 'Whatever it is,' some of them had reasoned, 'it is only right that you take the young lady home since it's already so late.' These were unfortunately returned with unnecessary insults from the enraged driver, who had given retorts like 'Who are you? Tony Blair?'.
I thought the issue was finally resolved when the operator finally secured a replacement booking for me, after which the driver flashed me a gleeful grin prior to driving off. In an uncanny coincidence the next day, I was harassed by an anonymous crank call, from a disturbingly familiar voice, making spitting noises into the phone.
I am rather shaken by the incident, having been hollered at in the presence of least 50 other passengers for something that had resulted from a mistake by the service provider. I was also deeply disgraced that many of the foreigners who had witnessed the scene would be taking away this episode as part of their memories of Singapore. Last, I find it very distressing to consider what other types of disturbances I may be subjected to in the aftermath of the incident, given that the cab driver now has my phone number.
Most of us are resigned to the inevitability of hikes in cab fares but I think it is only fair to consumers that the increments are matched by a commitment to raise or, in the very least, maintain a minimum level of service standards and integrity among staff.
Hopefully, the operators will not disappoint and respond that consumers would have to contribute to the retraining of staff by paying X amount more per Y km from whichever day moving forward. I am, by the way, still awaiting an explanation from SMRT with regard to this incident.
Ng Kian Pin (Ms)
Why can't our MRT, taxi service just be like Hong Kong's?
ST Dec 18, 2007
I JUST returned from Hong Kong. It was my third trip there. I must say that I am truly impressed by the efficiency of the transport system and the attitude of those in the service industry.
Let's start with their MTR, which is our MRT equivalent. Never once did I have to wait for more than three minutes for the next train to arrive, be it peak or non-peak periods. The public announcement system was loud and clear, even when underground.
I especially liked the fact that, in the train itself, the blinking lights above the train doors helped to tell commuters the next destination, where the interchange was, and which side of the train the doors would open. Thus, it came as no surprise to me that my aunt who has been to Hong Kong a couple of times to stay with my cousin who is working there dares to take the HK MTR alone but not the MRT in Singapore. Here, my uncle has to drive her around.
Next, let's talk about the taxis in Hong Kong. Not a single taxi driver expressed his displeasure at having to drive me to my hotel, which is a good 15-minute if I had walked from the nearest KCR, that is, the Shatin train station, even though the meter never even once jumped. I paid HK$15 (about S$3) which was the flag-down rate. I also boarded a taxi at about 11pm after shopping at Tsim Sha Tsui, which is on the main island, back to my hotel which was in New Territories and not on the main island. The taxi driver told me to hop on though it was clearly out of the way. And guess what? The whole trip cost HK$89 (less than S$20) for a good half-an-hour ride. You might say that these taxi drivers were the minority but this is my third trip there and not once have I been rejected because of distance or destination. The same cannot be said about taxi drivers in Singapore. There were also no booking and peak-period charges.
I arrived back in Singapore late at night and had to take a cab back to my Bedok flat. The taxi driver (a Silvercab) was clearly very unhappy. He grumbled and complained that he had waited very long to pick up passengers and it was just his luck that it was me. He went on and on about Singaporeans being very stingy about tipping taxi drivers, unlike foreigners, and that we should not expect taxi drivers to help us with our luggage, as after all they were not like porters who actually received tips for carrying our luggage. He certainly gave me the impression that he expected more than just the metered fare and that he should be duly compensated for picking a passenger like me who lives so near the airport as he had waited very long and that he had also helped me with my luggage. Seriously, if I were not alone, I would have given it to the taxi driver big time. Talk about service.
Last Thursday night, my two friends and I tried to get a cab outside Robinsons, Raffles City, at about 10pm. Not a single cab turned into the taxi queue except those with the 'on-call' signs. Needless to say, we also had to call one. We called Comfort, Smart and SMRT. None responded. Where did all the taxis go? I cannot imagine what will happen when the new charges kick in. Why can't we have a flat rate, say $5 or $6, and do away with all the confusing booking, peak period and call-booking charges? Oh, for goodness' sake, stop quoting examples from cities like Sydney and London whose fares are much higher. Don't forget the costs and standard of living in these countries are also much higher. Why not compare ourselves to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Shanghai, China? In the end, my friends and I went to take the bus or the MRT after trying in vain to call a cab for 45 minutes.
In Hong Kong, the staff in the service industry were friendly and efficient. They often took the initiative to check with other outlets for a particular size, colour or any items that they did not have without being asked unlike in Singapore. I have also not seen staff standing around talking to other staff or busy texting their friends while at work. All these are quite rampant in Singapore.
The saddest part is I noticed recently that foreigners were the ones who rendered better service in Singapore like the buffet restaurant at Roxy Mercure Hotel opposite Parkway Parade. The manager and the waiters, mostly foreigners, were polite and attentive. They smiled and were more genuine than many of the other retail outlets where the staff put on their plastic smiles and shout the usual greetings.
If Singapore wants to be world-class, something has to be done before we lose out.
Soh Bee Pheng (Ms)
I JUST returned from Hong Kong. It was my third trip there. I must say that I am truly impressed by the efficiency of the transport system and the attitude of those in the service industry.
Let's start with their MTR, which is our MRT equivalent. Never once did I have to wait for more than three minutes for the next train to arrive, be it peak or non-peak periods. The public announcement system was loud and clear, even when underground.
I especially liked the fact that, in the train itself, the blinking lights above the train doors helped to tell commuters the next destination, where the interchange was, and which side of the train the doors would open. Thus, it came as no surprise to me that my aunt who has been to Hong Kong a couple of times to stay with my cousin who is working there dares to take the HK MTR alone but not the MRT in Singapore. Here, my uncle has to drive her around.
Next, let's talk about the taxis in Hong Kong. Not a single taxi driver expressed his displeasure at having to drive me to my hotel, which is a good 15-minute if I had walked from the nearest KCR, that is, the Shatin train station, even though the meter never even once jumped. I paid HK$15 (about S$3) which was the flag-down rate. I also boarded a taxi at about 11pm after shopping at Tsim Sha Tsui, which is on the main island, back to my hotel which was in New Territories and not on the main island. The taxi driver told me to hop on though it was clearly out of the way. And guess what? The whole trip cost HK$89 (less than S$20) for a good half-an-hour ride. You might say that these taxi drivers were the minority but this is my third trip there and not once have I been rejected because of distance or destination. The same cannot be said about taxi drivers in Singapore. There were also no booking and peak-period charges.
I arrived back in Singapore late at night and had to take a cab back to my Bedok flat. The taxi driver (a Silvercab) was clearly very unhappy. He grumbled and complained that he had waited very long to pick up passengers and it was just his luck that it was me. He went on and on about Singaporeans being very stingy about tipping taxi drivers, unlike foreigners, and that we should not expect taxi drivers to help us with our luggage, as after all they were not like porters who actually received tips for carrying our luggage. He certainly gave me the impression that he expected more than just the metered fare and that he should be duly compensated for picking a passenger like me who lives so near the airport as he had waited very long and that he had also helped me with my luggage. Seriously, if I were not alone, I would have given it to the taxi driver big time. Talk about service.
Last Thursday night, my two friends and I tried to get a cab outside Robinsons, Raffles City, at about 10pm. Not a single cab turned into the taxi queue except those with the 'on-call' signs. Needless to say, we also had to call one. We called Comfort, Smart and SMRT. None responded. Where did all the taxis go? I cannot imagine what will happen when the new charges kick in. Why can't we have a flat rate, say $5 or $6, and do away with all the confusing booking, peak period and call-booking charges? Oh, for goodness' sake, stop quoting examples from cities like Sydney and London whose fares are much higher. Don't forget the costs and standard of living in these countries are also much higher. Why not compare ourselves to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Shanghai, China? In the end, my friends and I went to take the bus or the MRT after trying in vain to call a cab for 45 minutes.
In Hong Kong, the staff in the service industry were friendly and efficient. They often took the initiative to check with other outlets for a particular size, colour or any items that they did not have without being asked unlike in Singapore. I have also not seen staff standing around talking to other staff or busy texting their friends while at work. All these are quite rampant in Singapore.
The saddest part is I noticed recently that foreigners were the ones who rendered better service in Singapore like the buffet restaurant at Roxy Mercure Hotel opposite Parkway Parade. The manager and the waiters, mostly foreigners, were polite and attentive. They smiled and were more genuine than many of the other retail outlets where the staff put on their plastic smiles and shout the usual greetings.
If Singapore wants to be world-class, something has to be done before we lose out.
Soh Bee Pheng (Ms)
Saturday, 15 December 2007
No taxis in sight, but one appears in a jiffy when call booking is made
Dec 15, 2007
ON DEC 8, at about 8.20pm, my family members and I joined the tail end of a long taxi queue at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.
Immediately behind me were a couple of Caucasian expatriates and one commented on the length of the queue and lack of taxis.
The other responded: 'You are new here, my friend. This is a classic case of taxis in Singapore'.
He whipped out his cellphone and, less than a minute later, a taxi appeared. Triumphantly, he announced after checking its registration, 'That's our taxi', and off they went to two different locations in Orchard Road.
I do not normally depend on taxis for transport but, on this occasion, I needed one. With family and luggage in tow, tired and hungry after the ferry ride, we needed a taxi badly.
Granted the ferry terminal is way out, save for Maxi cabs, few taxis will venture there for fares. But in this case, I was utterly amazed at the speed in which the call was responded.
This is indeed a 'classic case' of Singapore taxis that even foreigners speak off. If this practice of taxis deliberately lurking nearby for calls is not corrected, Singapore taxis' classic image will spread far and wide.
David Tan Hwee Lin
Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings.
ON DEC 8, at about 8.20pm, my family members and I joined the tail end of a long taxi queue at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.
Immediately behind me were a couple of Caucasian expatriates and one commented on the length of the queue and lack of taxis.
The other responded: 'You are new here, my friend. This is a classic case of taxis in Singapore'.
He whipped out his cellphone and, less than a minute later, a taxi appeared. Triumphantly, he announced after checking its registration, 'That's our taxi', and off they went to two different locations in Orchard Road.
I do not normally depend on taxis for transport but, on this occasion, I needed one. With family and luggage in tow, tired and hungry after the ferry ride, we needed a taxi badly.
Granted the ferry terminal is way out, save for Maxi cabs, few taxis will venture there for fares. But in this case, I was utterly amazed at the speed in which the call was responded.
This is indeed a 'classic case' of Singapore taxis that even foreigners speak off. If this practice of taxis deliberately lurking nearby for calls is not corrected, Singapore taxis' classic image will spread far and wide.
David Tan Hwee Lin
Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings.
Friday, 14 December 2007
Taxi companies should look into drivers' conduct
ST Dec 14, 2007
I READ with sadness and frustration the news about how cabby Lee Yuet Kong caused the death of a young financial adviser with his bizarre and reckless behaviour on the road.
After many near misses with reckless taxi drivers on the road, my luck ran out and I finally became involved in an accident with one.
A Comfort taxi driver suddenly tried to turn right to enter a carpark when he was on the left lane of a two-lane road. When we got out of our vehicles, he had the audacity to put the blame on me first.
My unfortunate accident is just one example of the many irresponsible and inconsiderate driving antics of our taxi drivers on the road these days. Some other instances I have encountered include taxi drivers swerving to the left suddenly without signalling to pick up a passenger, drifting into my lane without signalling and hogging two lanes at once. People I have spoken to tell me of similar brushes with taxi drivers and the overall feeling is of frustration and helplessness at the situation.
As Comfort Delgro and other taxi operators raise fares again, I beseech them to not just look at improving the takings of their drivers, but also at improving their drivers' road discipline and conduct.
I might have lost my no-claim discount, but I think I am lucky that I have emerged unscathed. Others have not and might not be so lucky.
Mok Wen Kwang
I READ with sadness and frustration the news about how cabby Lee Yuet Kong caused the death of a young financial adviser with his bizarre and reckless behaviour on the road.
After many near misses with reckless taxi drivers on the road, my luck ran out and I finally became involved in an accident with one.
A Comfort taxi driver suddenly tried to turn right to enter a carpark when he was on the left lane of a two-lane road. When we got out of our vehicles, he had the audacity to put the blame on me first.
My unfortunate accident is just one example of the many irresponsible and inconsiderate driving antics of our taxi drivers on the road these days. Some other instances I have encountered include taxi drivers swerving to the left suddenly without signalling to pick up a passenger, drifting into my lane without signalling and hogging two lanes at once. People I have spoken to tell me of similar brushes with taxi drivers and the overall feeling is of frustration and helplessness at the situation.
As Comfort Delgro and other taxi operators raise fares again, I beseech them to not just look at improving the takings of their drivers, but also at improving their drivers' road discipline and conduct.
I might have lost my no-claim discount, but I think I am lucky that I have emerged unscathed. Others have not and might not be so lucky.
Mok Wen Kwang
Thursday, 6 December 2007
I love Comfort Cab
http://smootie.blogspot.com/2007/11/i-love-comfort-cab.html
Monday, November 26, 2007
Ever since last Monday, I have been really really looking forward to being able to get taxis with greater ease. Or at least being able to call taxi with greater ease.
Unfortunately, I believe the regulations have simply pushed taxi drivers into a higher level of innovation. I understand the basic concept of creativity within our respective fields of expertise, but this is getting ridiculous.
Last Saturday at noon, a group of various assorted strangers stood at the side of Bayshore Road trying to flag taxis. They stood, they flagged, they watched as SH8201U (? I was so angry my memory may have blanked out) sped past with nary a passenger within and the 'available' light beaming brightly.
The same group stared blankly at SHA6557X which was parked barely 10 metres away with its red 'Hired' sign on. It was parked. It was empty. But it was 'Hired'. There it sat for 10 minutes whilst we stood and perspired and tried our best to get a goddamn taxi.
Finally, I called 6552 1111. Just as I got an automated message that taxi no. SHA6557X. would be coming to pick me up in 5 minutes, that same taxi that I had been sitting empty in front of me for the past 10 minutes whilst I carried my son flashed the on-call sign, drove up and picked me up.
I called 6552 1111 through a red haze of rage to tell them about this. "What would you like me to do" said the operator, sounding perplexed. "I would like you to take down the numbers" said me in red rage. "Ok. I will do that." she said, calmly, vaguely, like this actually mattered at all.
posted by HairyDonut @ Monday, November 26, 2007 22 comments
22 Comments:
At 4:32 PM,
Anonymous said... Why dont you try writing in to the newspapers?
At 2:59 PM, squawks said... While I do understand the difficulties these taxi drivers face in terms of rising fuel prices, I think it is outgrageous for them to behave the way they do.
It is unacceptable for a customer to flag empty cab after empty cab as they whizz pass nonchalently.
I am a firm supporter of strong action against them. I think that these people should be permanantly banned from driving a taxi after being complained against three times.
We need to send them a strong message.
At 3:54 PM, Anonymous said... If I was in your position, i'll sue comfort for negligence.
At 5:26 PM, dlanorpi said... It's due to exorbitant surcharges imposed by economists without business training.
I don't see this issue in HK where there's only a HK$5 call booking surcharge and HK$15 starting fare. No peak hour, no mid-night, no CBD, etc.
At 5:53 PM, Anonymous said... Singapore should follow a similar system in England where anyone who needs a cab has to call for a cab, and there are NO booking fees.
I really do think the problem lies with booking fees, and we are better off without it.
yj
At 6:26 PM, Chris said... Hello, you have a wonderful blog, but I can't find your email address, can you please contact me? I have something to discuss with you
Regards, Chris(Please can you delete this comment after your decision?)
At 9:28 PM, xizor2000 said... It high time we do away with all the surcharges. If they keep complaining that it is hard to make a living, here's some news for them, it's hard for us to a living too so why do they expect us to make it easier for them?!
At 7:20 AM, Desmond Lim said... I don't think we can totally blame the taxi drivers. It is just the system they are caught it.
The powers that be should actually sit down for once and think about this problem that we have. I mean even a "lowly Singaporean blogger" (as compared to our "elites") can think of it throughly (Taxi problem the result of 3 deadly sins).
As stated, our gahmen thinks that things can be solved just by throwing money at it. Sorry but the world is not black and white and it is definitely not so simple.
At 9:45 AM, firereaver said... Hihi! You can always demand that the driver do not charge you the extra booking surcharge. :)
At 11:49 AM, Linus said... That's pretty normal ... have you seen ghosts boarding taxis? I have ...
Try boarding one before surcharges kick in and you see taxis suddenly turn from Available to Hired in the midst of a major road with no one in sight in the cab ...
At 1:46 PM, Anonymous said... It is a matter of demand and supply. The flagdown rate for taxis (issit still $2.50?) is way too low and set by the operators. When price is artificially low, demand will outstrip supply and taxis will wait for calls with surcharge since it is more lucrative. I believe the only way to solve the problem is to increase the flagdown rate to say $8 - hopefully after the adjustment we can get a real equilirium price where demand meets supply based on real economics fundamentals
At 1:49 PM, Anonymous said... so long as the cab companies and the drivers themselves continue to make more money with booking fees than without, and we continue to call taxis than to wait for one.. there is no reason for the present situation to change.
At 6:24 PM, Anonymous said... CABS IN SINGAPORE CAN KISS MY ADD. MRT AND SBS FTW!
At 8:58 PM, Ah Tiong said... This tip from a friend of mine.
As soon as you board a cab, ask that you would like a receipt at the end of the journey, even before you state your destination.
Does 2 things; he's less likely to literally take you for a ride, and you have a record if you would like to complain.
And why would you board a rogue cab anyways?
Yes, trains and buses are your friends.
At 9:17 PM, Anonymous said... Trains and busses? you can try waiting for a bus and see how much of a 'friend' these trying times are. Since the advent of the SBS trains, it's a ridiculous wait for these slow coaches and not to mention they drive ridiculously slowly.
At 10:06 AM, Indiana said... Drop all surcharges, have a $3 flat fee for calling, make Taxi's ERP exempt, and lift the price per km for the journey, and lower company fees.
Make the system one where in order to make money the cab needs to actually drive with a passenger and not sit "hidden' waiting for a call out fee.
At 1:20 AM, The Mama said... do you realise that taxi drivers in singapore are actually among the "not so rich" people in Singapore--at least they make far less money than lawyers per hour on average? my landlord in singapore used to drive a taxi and it is exhausting work -- sometimes they can drive for hours without making any money. instead of complaining, what about thinking of it as a charitable contribution to a man who perhaps did not have all the opportunities for educational advancement that you did?
At 2:37 PM, mkwe said... Mama - you are right - they are underpaid. Taxis are cheap in Singapore.
Indie - Right on the button! Damn simple really.
At 6:22 PM, aven said... It's sad.. the things that Singaporeans complain about.
Life just isn't perfect. Boo hoo.
At 9:53 PM, gremlin said... and your photos are gorgeous. there. can't log in to flickr to comment hence this. now can I pls have the CD? I have to print hard copies and display them EVERYwhere. do you have lobang to do poster sized ones? would love to. help.
At 6:57 PM, xizor2000 said... Here's some news for you, 'the mama'. It doesn't fit the puzzle when you said they are not so rich, and yet could afford to hide to wait for call. Above which, it is equally hard for everyone else who needs a cab to make their own money (those who makes easy money probably has their own chauffeurs). So why in the world should anyone be making it easy for cabbies to make money, or be charitable to them? You going to be charitable to us all?
At 7:40 PM, Anti Taxi Driver said... I hope you have made a formal complaint via email to Comfort. If each and every one of us takes the little bit of effort to lodge a formal complaint, it will weed out the errant drivers and create a better fleet of taxis.
For more horror stories about these creatures we call taxi drivers, please visit the website http://singaporetaxi.20m.com
Monday, November 26, 2007
Ever since last Monday, I have been really really looking forward to being able to get taxis with greater ease. Or at least being able to call taxi with greater ease.
Unfortunately, I believe the regulations have simply pushed taxi drivers into a higher level of innovation. I understand the basic concept of creativity within our respective fields of expertise, but this is getting ridiculous.
Last Saturday at noon, a group of various assorted strangers stood at the side of Bayshore Road trying to flag taxis. They stood, they flagged, they watched as SH8201U (? I was so angry my memory may have blanked out) sped past with nary a passenger within and the 'available' light beaming brightly.
The same group stared blankly at SHA6557X which was parked barely 10 metres away with its red 'Hired' sign on. It was parked. It was empty. But it was 'Hired'. There it sat for 10 minutes whilst we stood and perspired and tried our best to get a goddamn taxi.
Finally, I called 6552 1111. Just as I got an automated message that taxi no. SHA6557X. would be coming to pick me up in 5 minutes, that same taxi that I had been sitting empty in front of me for the past 10 minutes whilst I carried my son flashed the on-call sign, drove up and picked me up.
I called 6552 1111 through a red haze of rage to tell them about this. "What would you like me to do" said the operator, sounding perplexed. "I would like you to take down the numbers" said me in red rage. "Ok. I will do that." she said, calmly, vaguely, like this actually mattered at all.
posted by HairyDonut @ Monday, November 26, 2007 22 comments
22 Comments:
At 4:32 PM,
Anonymous said... Why dont you try writing in to the newspapers?
At 2:59 PM, squawks said... While I do understand the difficulties these taxi drivers face in terms of rising fuel prices, I think it is outgrageous for them to behave the way they do.
It is unacceptable for a customer to flag empty cab after empty cab as they whizz pass nonchalently.
I am a firm supporter of strong action against them. I think that these people should be permanantly banned from driving a taxi after being complained against three times.
We need to send them a strong message.
At 3:54 PM, Anonymous said... If I was in your position, i'll sue comfort for negligence.
At 5:26 PM, dlanorpi said... It's due to exorbitant surcharges imposed by economists without business training.
I don't see this issue in HK where there's only a HK$5 call booking surcharge and HK$15 starting fare. No peak hour, no mid-night, no CBD, etc.
At 5:53 PM, Anonymous said... Singapore should follow a similar system in England where anyone who needs a cab has to call for a cab, and there are NO booking fees.
I really do think the problem lies with booking fees, and we are better off without it.
yj
At 6:26 PM, Chris said... Hello, you have a wonderful blog, but I can't find your email address, can you please contact me? I have something to discuss with you
Regards, Chris(Please can you delete this comment after your decision?)
At 9:28 PM, xizor2000 said... It high time we do away with all the surcharges. If they keep complaining that it is hard to make a living, here's some news for them, it's hard for us to a living too so why do they expect us to make it easier for them?!
At 7:20 AM, Desmond Lim said... I don't think we can totally blame the taxi drivers. It is just the system they are caught it.
The powers that be should actually sit down for once and think about this problem that we have. I mean even a "lowly Singaporean blogger" (as compared to our "elites") can think of it throughly (Taxi problem the result of 3 deadly sins).
As stated, our gahmen thinks that things can be solved just by throwing money at it. Sorry but the world is not black and white and it is definitely not so simple.
At 9:45 AM, firereaver said... Hihi! You can always demand that the driver do not charge you the extra booking surcharge. :)
At 11:49 AM, Linus said... That's pretty normal ... have you seen ghosts boarding taxis? I have ...
Try boarding one before surcharges kick in and you see taxis suddenly turn from Available to Hired in the midst of a major road with no one in sight in the cab ...
At 1:46 PM, Anonymous said... It is a matter of demand and supply. The flagdown rate for taxis (issit still $2.50?) is way too low and set by the operators. When price is artificially low, demand will outstrip supply and taxis will wait for calls with surcharge since it is more lucrative. I believe the only way to solve the problem is to increase the flagdown rate to say $8 - hopefully after the adjustment we can get a real equilirium price where demand meets supply based on real economics fundamentals
At 1:49 PM, Anonymous said... so long as the cab companies and the drivers themselves continue to make more money with booking fees than without, and we continue to call taxis than to wait for one.. there is no reason for the present situation to change.
At 6:24 PM, Anonymous said... CABS IN SINGAPORE CAN KISS MY ADD. MRT AND SBS FTW!
At 8:58 PM, Ah Tiong said... This tip from a friend of mine.
As soon as you board a cab, ask that you would like a receipt at the end of the journey, even before you state your destination.
Does 2 things; he's less likely to literally take you for a ride, and you have a record if you would like to complain.
And why would you board a rogue cab anyways?
Yes, trains and buses are your friends.
At 9:17 PM, Anonymous said... Trains and busses? you can try waiting for a bus and see how much of a 'friend' these trying times are. Since the advent of the SBS trains, it's a ridiculous wait for these slow coaches and not to mention they drive ridiculously slowly.
At 10:06 AM, Indiana said... Drop all surcharges, have a $3 flat fee for calling, make Taxi's ERP exempt, and lift the price per km for the journey, and lower company fees.
Make the system one where in order to make money the cab needs to actually drive with a passenger and not sit "hidden' waiting for a call out fee.
At 1:20 AM, The Mama said... do you realise that taxi drivers in singapore are actually among the "not so rich" people in Singapore--at least they make far less money than lawyers per hour on average? my landlord in singapore used to drive a taxi and it is exhausting work -- sometimes they can drive for hours without making any money. instead of complaining, what about thinking of it as a charitable contribution to a man who perhaps did not have all the opportunities for educational advancement that you did?
At 2:37 PM, mkwe said... Mama - you are right - they are underpaid. Taxis are cheap in Singapore.
Indie - Right on the button! Damn simple really.
At 6:22 PM, aven said... It's sad.. the things that Singaporeans complain about.
Life just isn't perfect. Boo hoo.
At 9:53 PM, gremlin said... and your photos are gorgeous. there. can't log in to flickr to comment hence this. now can I pls have the CD? I have to print hard copies and display them EVERYwhere. do you have lobang to do poster sized ones? would love to. help.
At 6:57 PM, xizor2000 said... Here's some news for you, 'the mama'. It doesn't fit the puzzle when you said they are not so rich, and yet could afford to hide to wait for call. Above which, it is equally hard for everyone else who needs a cab to make their own money (those who makes easy money probably has their own chauffeurs). So why in the world should anyone be making it easy for cabbies to make money, or be charitable to them? You going to be charitable to us all?
At 7:40 PM, Anti Taxi Driver said... I hope you have made a formal complaint via email to Comfort. If each and every one of us takes the little bit of effort to lodge a formal complaint, it will weed out the errant drivers and create a better fleet of taxis.
For more horror stories about these creatures we call taxi drivers, please visit the website http://singaporetaxi.20m.com
Terror ride in cab pursued by repossessor
http://www.straitstimes.com/print/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_183859.html
Dec 6, 2007
ON TUESDAY I had a terrifying ride in a TransCab taxi.
I had just hailed the cab when a car pulled up next to it and the driver demanded that the cabby not pick me up, leading me to suspect that the driver might be a road bully.
Fearing for my safety (I was by then in the cab) and that of the cabby, I told him to drive off to avoid any confrontation.
The cabby claimed that he did not know who the driver of the car was.
Thus began my most terrifying taxi ride. The driver tailgated the cab and the cabby drove hurriedly throughout the journey, trying very hard to shake off his pursuer. At one point, the cab veered dangerously into the path of a filtering bus.
The 10-minute journey seemed like the longest taxi ride I ever had. It was frightening to think about what might have happened. A road accident? Or an ugly confrontation - we have heard enough of road bullies, haven't we?
It was upsetting to learn later that the pursuer was a repossessor for TransCab and he was chasing after the cabby for payments he had defaulted on.
The incident left me exasperated. It made me wonder if the taxi company had any regard for the safety of commuters or, for that matter, the safety of other road users.
Was there no other way to recover payment? Were there no guidelines for repossessors, to safeguard the safety of commuters?
Sarah Tan Li Choo (Ms)
Dec 6, 2007
ON TUESDAY I had a terrifying ride in a TransCab taxi.
I had just hailed the cab when a car pulled up next to it and the driver demanded that the cabby not pick me up, leading me to suspect that the driver might be a road bully.
Fearing for my safety (I was by then in the cab) and that of the cabby, I told him to drive off to avoid any confrontation.
The cabby claimed that he did not know who the driver of the car was.
Thus began my most terrifying taxi ride. The driver tailgated the cab and the cabby drove hurriedly throughout the journey, trying very hard to shake off his pursuer. At one point, the cab veered dangerously into the path of a filtering bus.
The 10-minute journey seemed like the longest taxi ride I ever had. It was frightening to think about what might have happened. A road accident? Or an ugly confrontation - we have heard enough of road bullies, haven't we?
It was upsetting to learn later that the pursuer was a repossessor for TransCab and he was chasing after the cabby for payments he had defaulted on.
The incident left me exasperated. It made me wonder if the taxi company had any regard for the safety of commuters or, for that matter, the safety of other road users.
Was there no other way to recover payment? Were there no guidelines for repossessors, to safeguard the safety of commuters?
Sarah Tan Li Choo (Ms)
Thursday, 29 November 2007
Taxi ride spins out of control after dispute
The Electric New Paper :
Passenger: He challenged me to fight
WHAT was supposed to be a 15-minute taxi ride turned into a contentious and frightening roller-coaster ride for both passenger and driver.
By Kor Kian Beng
03 August 2007
WHAT was supposed to be a 15-minute taxi ride turned into a contentious and frightening roller-coaster ride for both passenger and driver.
Now both parties, offering conflicting accounts, claim the 9km ride that stretched to half an hour had scared them.
Passenger Jaya Shankar, 38, claimed he feared for his life, while cabby Loh Cher Chin, 52, claimed his big-sized passenger scared him.
Mr Jaya claimed he was threatened by the taxi driver, who not only refused to let him alight but also drove him to a secluded area.
The police had to be called in to resolve the dispute which occured at night on 22 Jul.
Mr Loh disputed Mr Jaya's account. He claimed he was the victim.
He claimed that Mr Jaya hurled abuse at him after boarding his taxi outside the Sembawang Shopping Centre on Sembawang Road slightly before 9pm.
Mr Jaya, who denied using vulgar language, said he was rushing to work in Woodlands.
The taxi was in the middle lane before it switched to the left to make the stop, he said.
'There was no 'on call' sign. There was also no sign to show that it was changing shift or headed to any particular place,' he added, claiming that the driver also did not wind down his window to ask for his destination when the cab stopped.
REFUSED PASSENGER
When Mr Jaya got in and said he wanted to go to Woodlands, the driver apparently refused.
'He said he would only go to Tampines because he had to change shift there,' said Mr Jaya, describing the cabby's tone as fierce.
The driver asked him to alight and get another taxi, said Mr Jaya.
But Mr Jaya refused as he felt it would be hard to get another taxi. He said the driver then agreed to take him there and turned right to Gambas Ave, towards Woodlands Industrial Estate.
Near a junction along Gambas Avenue, the cabby stopped the vehicle and asked him to get out, said Mr Jaya. The engine was running and the lights were green.
Mr Jaya refused and claimed that Mr Loh then turned abusive.
'When I asked the driver why he stopped, he turned nasty and started shouting, and even challenged me to a fight,' said Mr Jaya.
'I warned him that I was a civil servant and not to make threats, or I would call the police.'
He claimed the driver challenged him to do so, which Mr Jaya did with his handphone.
While calling the police, he said the driver started driving in the opposite direction from Mr Jaya's destination.
Just before a junction at Admiralty Road West where he was supposed to turn left towards Woodlands, the driver turned right instead towards Sembawang, said Mr Jaya.
'I told him firmly to stop the taxi immediately and that I wanted to get down,' said Mr Jaya, who was seated in the back seat.
'He totally ignored me and when I opened the door to try to get down, he just sped up, even though he knew my door was open.'
He said he feared for his safety as the taxi sped through secluded parts of Sembawang.
'I truly feared for my life because the driver already exhibited seemingly violent behaviour,' he said, adding that he was still on the phone with a police officer who asked to speak to the driver, but he refused to at first.
When he finally spoke to the police officer, Mr Jaya said the driver claimed he had threatened him. Mr Jaya denied doing this.
The cabby was instructed to stop at a bus stop near the junction of Sembawang Road and Yishun Ave 2.
Mr Jaya said he alighted and waited nearby. He claimed the driver, who remained in the taxi, taunted him until the police arrived.
But the drama did not end there. The two men soon got into another argument over the taxi fare of $8.
Said Mr Jaya: 'To add insult to injury, he still wanted me to pay for the taxi ride.'
He refused to pay and was allowed to leave by the officers. He hailed another taxi and rushed to work.
The cabby lodged a police report later that night. Four days later, Mr Jaya lodged a complaint with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Transcab. He also contacted The New Paper.
Why wait four days? Mr Jaya said he didn't do so earlier because he was tired from working night shifts the next two days.
The disgruntled passenger, who still feels sore over the incident, said he wants an apology from the driver and Transcab.
Passenger: He challenged me to fight
WHAT was supposed to be a 15-minute taxi ride turned into a contentious and frightening roller-coaster ride for both passenger and driver.
By Kor Kian Beng
03 August 2007
WHAT was supposed to be a 15-minute taxi ride turned into a contentious and frightening roller-coaster ride for both passenger and driver.
Now both parties, offering conflicting accounts, claim the 9km ride that stretched to half an hour had scared them.
Passenger Jaya Shankar, 38, claimed he feared for his life, while cabby Loh Cher Chin, 52, claimed his big-sized passenger scared him.
Mr Jaya claimed he was threatened by the taxi driver, who not only refused to let him alight but also drove him to a secluded area.
The police had to be called in to resolve the dispute which occured at night on 22 Jul.
Mr Loh disputed Mr Jaya's account. He claimed he was the victim.
He claimed that Mr Jaya hurled abuse at him after boarding his taxi outside the Sembawang Shopping Centre on Sembawang Road slightly before 9pm.
Mr Jaya, who denied using vulgar language, said he was rushing to work in Woodlands.
The taxi was in the middle lane before it switched to the left to make the stop, he said.
'There was no 'on call' sign. There was also no sign to show that it was changing shift or headed to any particular place,' he added, claiming that the driver also did not wind down his window to ask for his destination when the cab stopped.
REFUSED PASSENGER
When Mr Jaya got in and said he wanted to go to Woodlands, the driver apparently refused.
'He said he would only go to Tampines because he had to change shift there,' said Mr Jaya, describing the cabby's tone as fierce.
The driver asked him to alight and get another taxi, said Mr Jaya.
But Mr Jaya refused as he felt it would be hard to get another taxi. He said the driver then agreed to take him there and turned right to Gambas Ave, towards Woodlands Industrial Estate.
Near a junction along Gambas Avenue, the cabby stopped the vehicle and asked him to get out, said Mr Jaya. The engine was running and the lights were green.
Mr Jaya refused and claimed that Mr Loh then turned abusive.
'When I asked the driver why he stopped, he turned nasty and started shouting, and even challenged me to a fight,' said Mr Jaya.
'I warned him that I was a civil servant and not to make threats, or I would call the police.'
He claimed the driver challenged him to do so, which Mr Jaya did with his handphone.
While calling the police, he said the driver started driving in the opposite direction from Mr Jaya's destination.
Just before a junction at Admiralty Road West where he was supposed to turn left towards Woodlands, the driver turned right instead towards Sembawang, said Mr Jaya.
'I told him firmly to stop the taxi immediately and that I wanted to get down,' said Mr Jaya, who was seated in the back seat.
'He totally ignored me and when I opened the door to try to get down, he just sped up, even though he knew my door was open.'
He said he feared for his safety as the taxi sped through secluded parts of Sembawang.
'I truly feared for my life because the driver already exhibited seemingly violent behaviour,' he said, adding that he was still on the phone with a police officer who asked to speak to the driver, but he refused to at first.
When he finally spoke to the police officer, Mr Jaya said the driver claimed he had threatened him. Mr Jaya denied doing this.
The cabby was instructed to stop at a bus stop near the junction of Sembawang Road and Yishun Ave 2.
Mr Jaya said he alighted and waited nearby. He claimed the driver, who remained in the taxi, taunted him until the police arrived.
But the drama did not end there. The two men soon got into another argument over the taxi fare of $8.
Said Mr Jaya: 'To add insult to injury, he still wanted me to pay for the taxi ride.'
He refused to pay and was allowed to leave by the officers. He hailed another taxi and rushed to work.
The cabby lodged a police report later that night. Four days later, Mr Jaya lodged a complaint with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Transcab. He also contacted The New Paper.
Why wait four days? Mr Jaya said he didn't do so earlier because he was tired from working night shifts the next two days.
The disgruntled passenger, who still feels sore over the incident, said he wants an apology from the driver and Transcab.
Don't you dare change your mind, Mr Cabby
The Electric New Paper :
REMEMBER the old Batman television show? Whenever the Gotham City cops couldn't cope, they flashed the giant Bat-signal in the sky.
By Joanna Hughes
29 May 2007
REMEMBER the old Batman television show? Whenever the Gotham City cops couldn't cope, they flashed the giant Bat-signal in the sky.
Before you could say, 'Holy Comfort Cab, Batman', Batman and Robin would come screeching into town in the less-than-fuel-efficient Batmobile, sort the bad guys out and save the world again.
I wish I had something like that to summon MsTammy Tan, group corporate communications officer of Comfort Delgro.
She is the woman who replies sensibly to all the complaints about taxis that are published in the media.
And lately, I have felt the need for someone to sort out the bad guys.
Let me say this first. In my 13 years in Singapore, taxi service - particularly the call service - has become better. But there is a very dangerous trend occurring: Taxi drivers are passing up flag-downs for bookings.
It's not just that cabs with on-call signs are zooming past stranded customers doing what looks like aerobics with laptop cases. I don't mind that at all.
Let me tell you (and Ms Tan, I hope you are reading this) what I do mind.
One night last week, a colleague and I waved down a taxi. He slowed, put on his hazard lights and came almost to a complete halt.
We walked two steps towards the cab, but the driver spotted a call on the computer screen and, even as my colleague's hand grasped the door handle, the taxi took off.
Our reaction was completely visceral. We did a nutter in the middle of Tanjong Pagar Road at 6.45pm, waving our arms, shaking our fists and letting loose a volley of obscenities in the various languages at our command.
That was bad enough. But it happened again 15 minutes later - my fourth account in two weeks.
Call any taxi service to give your feedback and they will ask for the taxi number - which you can't always see.
I mean, have you ever tried to take down the number of a taxi that is going at an easy 70kmh down the road in the dark? Either that or you are too busy reverting to early primate behaviour to notice.
One driver even had a change of heart after I had waited for his passenger to fish out enough change from the bottom of her purse to pay him.
After he counted it all up, he saw the screen and waved me off. Actually, I think it was the rudeness of the wave-off that ticked me off as much as the drive-off.
Almost as bad are the 'shift changers'.
If you go off duty at 7pm, and you want to end up in Tampines, but it's 3.45pm in Chinatown and someone wants to go to Orchard Road, why can't you take her?
Why don't you have a shift-change sign up? And why does everyone have to change shift at the same time and not stagger it?
I know it's not this way in London, Tokyo or New York. But then, cabs are more expensive there. Do we get what we pay for?
WITCHING HOURS
Oh, don't get me started on the witching hours - the half hour to an hour before peak charges kick in.
While desperate for a taxi one morning, I saw one waiting in front of a convenience store, with its light on and engine running, so I approached.
The driver was reading the newspaper and ignored my pleading waves. Finally, I knocked on the window.
He waved me off. I kept knocking until he finally rolled down his window.
'Go away, I'm busy,' he said. 'Call a cab.'
I was so shocked that I was speechless. I stood in front of his taxi and dialled up his taxi company. The line was busy, so I tried again and got put in the call queue. 'All our operators are busy...'
I got out of the way just as this bad hat pulled off, still listening to 'Your call is important to us...'
REMEMBER the old Batman television show? Whenever the Gotham City cops couldn't cope, they flashed the giant Bat-signal in the sky.
By Joanna Hughes
29 May 2007
REMEMBER the old Batman television show? Whenever the Gotham City cops couldn't cope, they flashed the giant Bat-signal in the sky.
Before you could say, 'Holy Comfort Cab, Batman', Batman and Robin would come screeching into town in the less-than-fuel-efficient Batmobile, sort the bad guys out and save the world again.
I wish I had something like that to summon MsTammy Tan, group corporate communications officer of Comfort Delgro.
She is the woman who replies sensibly to all the complaints about taxis that are published in the media.
And lately, I have felt the need for someone to sort out the bad guys.
Let me say this first. In my 13 years in Singapore, taxi service - particularly the call service - has become better. But there is a very dangerous trend occurring: Taxi drivers are passing up flag-downs for bookings.
It's not just that cabs with on-call signs are zooming past stranded customers doing what looks like aerobics with laptop cases. I don't mind that at all.
Let me tell you (and Ms Tan, I hope you are reading this) what I do mind.
One night last week, a colleague and I waved down a taxi. He slowed, put on his hazard lights and came almost to a complete halt.
We walked two steps towards the cab, but the driver spotted a call on the computer screen and, even as my colleague's hand grasped the door handle, the taxi took off.
Our reaction was completely visceral. We did a nutter in the middle of Tanjong Pagar Road at 6.45pm, waving our arms, shaking our fists and letting loose a volley of obscenities in the various languages at our command.
That was bad enough. But it happened again 15 minutes later - my fourth account in two weeks.
Call any taxi service to give your feedback and they will ask for the taxi number - which you can't always see.
I mean, have you ever tried to take down the number of a taxi that is going at an easy 70kmh down the road in the dark? Either that or you are too busy reverting to early primate behaviour to notice.
One driver even had a change of heart after I had waited for his passenger to fish out enough change from the bottom of her purse to pay him.
After he counted it all up, he saw the screen and waved me off. Actually, I think it was the rudeness of the wave-off that ticked me off as much as the drive-off.
Almost as bad are the 'shift changers'.
If you go off duty at 7pm, and you want to end up in Tampines, but it's 3.45pm in Chinatown and someone wants to go to Orchard Road, why can't you take her?
Why don't you have a shift-change sign up? And why does everyone have to change shift at the same time and not stagger it?
I know it's not this way in London, Tokyo or New York. But then, cabs are more expensive there. Do we get what we pay for?
WITCHING HOURS
Oh, don't get me started on the witching hours - the half hour to an hour before peak charges kick in.
While desperate for a taxi one morning, I saw one waiting in front of a convenience store, with its light on and engine running, so I approached.
The driver was reading the newspaper and ignored my pleading waves. Finally, I knocked on the window.
He waved me off. I kept knocking until he finally rolled down his window.
'Go away, I'm busy,' he said. 'Call a cab.'
I was so shocked that I was speechless. I stood in front of his taxi and dialled up his taxi company. The line was busy, so I tried again and got put in the call queue. 'All our operators are busy...'
I got out of the way just as this bad hat pulled off, still listening to 'Your call is important to us...'
Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Singapore taxi service one of the world's best
http://motoring.asiaone.com/Motoring/News/Story/A1Story20071115-36960.html
I EMPATHISE with Mr Roland Larsson's experience in waiting for a taxi at Gleneagles Hospital ('World's best taxi service - also one of the worst'; ST, July 5).
Thu, Nov 15, 2007
The Straits Times
I EMPATHISE with Mr Roland Larsson's experience in waiting for a taxi at Gleneagles Hospital ('World's best taxi service - also one of the worst'; ST, July 5).
Mr Larsson has harshly given our taxi service a negative rating following his one bad encounter in 50 visits to Singapore in 10 years.
As a regular taxi commuter over the past 25 years, I beg to disagree.
I find the taxi service one of the world's best in terms of cleanliness, safety, efficiency and honesty, not to mention the reasonable fare. There are sufficient taxi operators and fleets for there to be healthy competition.
The information counter of Gleneagles Hospital or the security guard can help one to book a taxi, if one is needed urgently.
There are also other modes of transportation within walking distance of the hospital, like buses and the MRT.
The display of 'Change of shift' signs or placards specifying destination works well. If a commuter waiting in a queue is headed in the same direction as the cabby, he is welcome to hop in.
The number of taxi drivers who talk loudly or use mobile phones (with earpieces, of course) while driving is very small.
Lastly, let us not forget that taxi drivers have a certain amount of prerogative. As it is their own business that they are running, surely they would not slam the door on potential customers and drive around all day without passengers.
If they are running empty, there would be a sign to state the reason, and the public should accept the situation, giving the benefit of the doubt to the small number of drivers who abuse the sign.
After all, at the end of the day, they still have to pay rental for the taxi, regardless of whether they have met their personal fare quota.
I consider myself lucky to have always met with courteous and pleasant drivers. To them I say keep up the good work!
Matthew D. Sukimto
This letter appeared in the ST forum on 12 July 2007
I EMPATHISE with Mr Roland Larsson's experience in waiting for a taxi at Gleneagles Hospital ('World's best taxi service - also one of the worst'; ST, July 5).
Thu, Nov 15, 2007
The Straits Times
I EMPATHISE with Mr Roland Larsson's experience in waiting for a taxi at Gleneagles Hospital ('World's best taxi service - also one of the worst'; ST, July 5).
Mr Larsson has harshly given our taxi service a negative rating following his one bad encounter in 50 visits to Singapore in 10 years.
As a regular taxi commuter over the past 25 years, I beg to disagree.
I find the taxi service one of the world's best in terms of cleanliness, safety, efficiency and honesty, not to mention the reasonable fare. There are sufficient taxi operators and fleets for there to be healthy competition.
The information counter of Gleneagles Hospital or the security guard can help one to book a taxi, if one is needed urgently.
There are also other modes of transportation within walking distance of the hospital, like buses and the MRT.
The display of 'Change of shift' signs or placards specifying destination works well. If a commuter waiting in a queue is headed in the same direction as the cabby, he is welcome to hop in.
The number of taxi drivers who talk loudly or use mobile phones (with earpieces, of course) while driving is very small.
Lastly, let us not forget that taxi drivers have a certain amount of prerogative. As it is their own business that they are running, surely they would not slam the door on potential customers and drive around all day without passengers.
If they are running empty, there would be a sign to state the reason, and the public should accept the situation, giving the benefit of the doubt to the small number of drivers who abuse the sign.
After all, at the end of the day, they still have to pay rental for the taxi, regardless of whether they have met their personal fare quota.
I consider myself lucky to have always met with courteous and pleasant drivers. To them I say keep up the good work!
Matthew D. Sukimto
This letter appeared in the ST forum on 12 July 2007
The Singapore Taxi Driver - Fast, Easy And Efficient In Singapore
http://www.escapeartist.com/efam/70/Catch_A_Taxi_In_Singapore.html
~ by Ieuan Dolby
Fast, easy and efficient could describe life in Singapore. You don't stroll along the streets in a world of your own with time to spare and you definitely do not walk when a taxi is waiting nearby. Life in Singapore is geared towards the making of money and any spare moment given is put to that task. So if one should need to get to work or get to the office, go shopping or attend the cinema (because the children insist on it) then transport is essential.
Private cars are good and super efficient. The MRT or underground system is also a perfect feat of engineering: fast, clean and cheap for the average punter, but life also seems to include an inordinate number of taxis. They seem to be required and used whether one owns a car or not and even when one is standing right next to the entrance to an MRT station. In an average week one can use a taxi about seven times and that in anybody's books is a lot.
Three companies tend to run the Cab business and all are large and modern, consisting of the latest cars with satellite navigation and instant booking services by a frightening voice box and push button accept system that flashes possible messages at the driver: as if he is not confused enough with the fast flowing and interchanging traffic that is going on around him. Singapore is not a place where once you get into a lane you are okay for half an hour or so. This is a place where once you have settled into your lane ?it is time to change to another, time to enter the tunnel or cross a bridge, go round a roundabout or exit up a ramp. A plate of Spaghetti has nothing on the road system here, but it does flow smoothly, it is extremely well designed and it is safe ?if drivers do not talk too much and check their flashing job screen every other minute!
To catch a cab one can do a variety of things. The usual one of going outside and flagging one down; another way is calling one up on the booking service; and finally, you can join a long queue at a taxi station. The first one is the most amazing and also one of the most frustrating methods of trying to catch one: not that there are none available but the drivers have a strange way of picking up punters. There you are outside your apartment and this blue cab with its light on comes floating towards you. Stopping beside the pavement the driver will lower his window and ask you where you are going.
And the strangest thing is that if you are not going in his direction or to where he wants to go, then he will not pick you up. Amazing but true! Taxi drivers are very obstinate and although Singaporeans like to make money above all else the taxis do not follow that rule. For them food and sleep is more important and so if they are coming towards the end of their shift or feel like dinner, then they will not pick you up unless you want to go where they are going. It is quite possible to stop five or more cabs in a run only for the drivers to shake their heads and zoom off leaving you stranded and confused. A very frustrating time indeed!
The other method of calling a taxi is probably the most efficient and stable one. Simply by calling up the taxi company a taxi can be on its way to you in a matter of minutes. The third method can also be extremely annoying and frustrating as one usually has to stand for about twenty minutes in a long queue whilst suffering from the heat of the day. But by using a taxi station you are assured of being picked up ?by law the driver cannot refuse to take you wherever you want to go if the pick-up point is at a taxi station.
Life though is more interesting than trying to catch a taxi. Life gets more active when one is inside and on the way to their destination. The average driver in Singapore is good. The average taxi driver in Singapore is definitely in need of help. Psychological help in some cases and others just need some basic lessons in driving. The roads in Singapore can be awkward as the forward momentum of the vehicle is constantly disrupted as another stop sign looms up, as another intersection needs to be navigated or another accident causes the whole system to falter. But the taxi drivers even with a smooth road ahead of them constantly apply the breaks and then the gas causing the passengers heads to hit the seat in front of them and then to be thrown backwards against the rear window.
This action on the part of seventy percent of the drivers may not be totally due to bad driving. An unusually high proportion of drivers suffer from sleep deprivation! They will tell you that this is because of the extra long hours that they have to work (to get a tip from you) but many do certainly nod off whilst you are sitting behind them. In one taxi I was sort of trying to read my newspaper with my head waggling backwards and forwards when all of a sudden I noticed that I could read my newspaper. I mean that all of a sudden I was not being thrown around as the driver applied the gas and breaks in rapid succession. This was weird and unusual but I accepted it as another quirk of the industry.
It was when we where zooming along at way past the speed limit, that I looked closer at my driver. He was asleep and soundly so and we where heading straight for the oncoming lane. I acted instinctively and jumped across my prospective killer and adjusted the wheel and thus the cars?direction to suit an accident free journey. Whilst doing that I jabbed my elbow into his shoulder (well, it turned out to be his face) to wake him up. A lucky save and if I had not been aware or had fallen asleep pancake time. I never fall asleep in a taxi after that experience. . Signs of the driver falling asleep are quite noticeable should one look for them. The constant opening and shutting of the window and the drivers?constant changing of the air conditioning settings is a good one. Another is the drivers?desperate scramble for the plastic bottles that he has stashed under his seat. I would question the manufacturers of these drugs because as many a driver takes they never seem to aid him in keeping awake. Oh and the most important thing to watch out for is when your head no longer jerks back and forth ?this means that the driver has fallen asleep and his foot is still.
I normally hate making small talk. I would rather read a newspaper or stare out of the window. But in Singapore Taxis I prefer to keep the driver in conversation as this undoubtedly and without fail will keep him wide-awake. To start off the conversation just say something stupid like, hot day today?as if Singapore is any different from one day to the next. He will invariably turn the conversation around to asking where you are from and then talking about football and Liverpool or he will turn to the state of the economy, no profit in taxi driving anymore, no customers and cars cost more to buy than ever before? This should keep him going for a half an hour or so, more than enough for the trip.
I think the keep awake pills/drugs may have side effects. I have noticed on some occasions that drivers are a bit high spirited. Now whether this an effect of the drugs that kick in a couple of hours later or due to something that is completely removed I know not. I am just trying to make a connection as to when the drivers take their keep awake pills - nothing happens. Anyway, I have often climbed into a taxi and been surprised at the activity of my driver. One memorable trip started off okay until he found out that I was from Scotland. I spent the next twenty minutes of the journey listening to bagpipes and a donkey heehawing whilst being thrown violently against the drivers seat and the rear window in turn. No, it was not music or anything like that, but the driver whilst jumping up and down in his seat, imitated the bagpipes and in between breaths became a horse. He used to say Scotland at frequent intervals as if to reassure me that he knew where I came from.
Weird! I had another bad occurrence in a taxi when he started to get aggressive against a football team and he spent more time trying to clamber over the rear of his seat, to reinforce his opinion than looking where he was going. I got extremely worried about him and decided that I should leave his taxi as quickly as possible. I jumped out at an intersection and decided that I would not pay for such a ride. I could hear him shouting as I ran away down the hard shoulder ?but I don抰 want to pay to be harassed!
Apart from all of the above the typical taxi journey passes without note. Some of the drivers will seriously annoy you or make you feel sick when they open their door and spit a big gob of mucus onto the road side. But this is the way that they do it. I asked one driver not to do that again ?and he didn抰. But generally just try and ignore that. They also tend to get a bit vocal inside of the car if involved in a near miss with another car or have to sit for any length of time due to an accident up ahead. This is due to the fact that if a driver gets out of his car and shouts at another driver then he can quickly and without question be hauled off to jail. The government does not tolerate drivers making a scene in public and so drivers just do not do it, ever. This is all-and-well, unless you happen to be the poor passenger that has to take the brunt of his road rage?whilst pretending that you are not sitting in the back seat of that particular cab. . Sorry, I seem to be putting them down. The taxi system and the drivers are quite excellent and safe in Singapore and no less than any other town or city the world over. When hiring a taxi in Singapore you are ensured of a rapid and free journey to your destination and the cost is not prohibitive, you are safe and looked after at all times. One thing does puzzle me though: why the drivers constantly ask the passengers which way they would like to go. Having just arrived in Singapore I catch a taxi at the taxi station just outside the airport. I give him the name of the hotel and off he goes. After five-minutes this driver will invariably turn around and ask me whether I would like to go by the PIE or by the East Coast Road. Stupid question really as the average person arriving at Singapore Airport and especially one who is going to a hotel would not have a clue about the transport system in Singapore.
I used to think that the drivers where testing their passengers as to their knowledge of Singapore and that if they showed ignorance then they would be carted off on a tour of the city without knowing the difference. But this has not been the case as I have often put it to the test. The driver has asked me and I have given him no inkling as to my knowledge of the city ?and he has taken me the quickest route! Such is life!
Listen everybody: the Taxi Drivers in Singapore are of excellent quality and any prospective passenger is assured of an easy, safe and smooth-drive to their destination ?don抰 listen to me.
Just keep your eyes open and the drivers as well if you can!
To contact Ieuan Click Here
Ieuan is Author and Webmaster of http://www.seadolby.com
~ by Ieuan Dolby
Fast, easy and efficient could describe life in Singapore. You don't stroll along the streets in a world of your own with time to spare and you definitely do not walk when a taxi is waiting nearby. Life in Singapore is geared towards the making of money and any spare moment given is put to that task. So if one should need to get to work or get to the office, go shopping or attend the cinema (because the children insist on it) then transport is essential.
Private cars are good and super efficient. The MRT or underground system is also a perfect feat of engineering: fast, clean and cheap for the average punter, but life also seems to include an inordinate number of taxis. They seem to be required and used whether one owns a car or not and even when one is standing right next to the entrance to an MRT station. In an average week one can use a taxi about seven times and that in anybody's books is a lot.
Three companies tend to run the Cab business and all are large and modern, consisting of the latest cars with satellite navigation and instant booking services by a frightening voice box and push button accept system that flashes possible messages at the driver: as if he is not confused enough with the fast flowing and interchanging traffic that is going on around him. Singapore is not a place where once you get into a lane you are okay for half an hour or so. This is a place where once you have settled into your lane ?it is time to change to another, time to enter the tunnel or cross a bridge, go round a roundabout or exit up a ramp. A plate of Spaghetti has nothing on the road system here, but it does flow smoothly, it is extremely well designed and it is safe ?if drivers do not talk too much and check their flashing job screen every other minute!
To catch a cab one can do a variety of things. The usual one of going outside and flagging one down; another way is calling one up on the booking service; and finally, you can join a long queue at a taxi station. The first one is the most amazing and also one of the most frustrating methods of trying to catch one: not that there are none available but the drivers have a strange way of picking up punters. There you are outside your apartment and this blue cab with its light on comes floating towards you. Stopping beside the pavement the driver will lower his window and ask you where you are going.
And the strangest thing is that if you are not going in his direction or to where he wants to go, then he will not pick you up. Amazing but true! Taxi drivers are very obstinate and although Singaporeans like to make money above all else the taxis do not follow that rule. For them food and sleep is more important and so if they are coming towards the end of their shift or feel like dinner, then they will not pick you up unless you want to go where they are going. It is quite possible to stop five or more cabs in a run only for the drivers to shake their heads and zoom off leaving you stranded and confused. A very frustrating time indeed!
The other method of calling a taxi is probably the most efficient and stable one. Simply by calling up the taxi company a taxi can be on its way to you in a matter of minutes. The third method can also be extremely annoying and frustrating as one usually has to stand for about twenty minutes in a long queue whilst suffering from the heat of the day. But by using a taxi station you are assured of being picked up ?by law the driver cannot refuse to take you wherever you want to go if the pick-up point is at a taxi station.
Life though is more interesting than trying to catch a taxi. Life gets more active when one is inside and on the way to their destination. The average driver in Singapore is good. The average taxi driver in Singapore is definitely in need of help. Psychological help in some cases and others just need some basic lessons in driving. The roads in Singapore can be awkward as the forward momentum of the vehicle is constantly disrupted as another stop sign looms up, as another intersection needs to be navigated or another accident causes the whole system to falter. But the taxi drivers even with a smooth road ahead of them constantly apply the breaks and then the gas causing the passengers heads to hit the seat in front of them and then to be thrown backwards against the rear window.
This action on the part of seventy percent of the drivers may not be totally due to bad driving. An unusually high proportion of drivers suffer from sleep deprivation! They will tell you that this is because of the extra long hours that they have to work (to get a tip from you) but many do certainly nod off whilst you are sitting behind them. In one taxi I was sort of trying to read my newspaper with my head waggling backwards and forwards when all of a sudden I noticed that I could read my newspaper. I mean that all of a sudden I was not being thrown around as the driver applied the gas and breaks in rapid succession. This was weird and unusual but I accepted it as another quirk of the industry.
It was when we where zooming along at way past the speed limit, that I looked closer at my driver. He was asleep and soundly so and we where heading straight for the oncoming lane. I acted instinctively and jumped across my prospective killer and adjusted the wheel and thus the cars?direction to suit an accident free journey. Whilst doing that I jabbed my elbow into his shoulder (well, it turned out to be his face) to wake him up. A lucky save and if I had not been aware or had fallen asleep pancake time. I never fall asleep in a taxi after that experience. . Signs of the driver falling asleep are quite noticeable should one look for them. The constant opening and shutting of the window and the drivers?constant changing of the air conditioning settings is a good one. Another is the drivers?desperate scramble for the plastic bottles that he has stashed under his seat. I would question the manufacturers of these drugs because as many a driver takes they never seem to aid him in keeping awake. Oh and the most important thing to watch out for is when your head no longer jerks back and forth ?this means that the driver has fallen asleep and his foot is still.
I normally hate making small talk. I would rather read a newspaper or stare out of the window. But in Singapore Taxis I prefer to keep the driver in conversation as this undoubtedly and without fail will keep him wide-awake. To start off the conversation just say something stupid like, hot day today?as if Singapore is any different from one day to the next. He will invariably turn the conversation around to asking where you are from and then talking about football and Liverpool or he will turn to the state of the economy, no profit in taxi driving anymore, no customers and cars cost more to buy than ever before? This should keep him going for a half an hour or so, more than enough for the trip.
I think the keep awake pills/drugs may have side effects. I have noticed on some occasions that drivers are a bit high spirited. Now whether this an effect of the drugs that kick in a couple of hours later or due to something that is completely removed I know not. I am just trying to make a connection as to when the drivers take their keep awake pills - nothing happens. Anyway, I have often climbed into a taxi and been surprised at the activity of my driver. One memorable trip started off okay until he found out that I was from Scotland. I spent the next twenty minutes of the journey listening to bagpipes and a donkey heehawing whilst being thrown violently against the drivers seat and the rear window in turn. No, it was not music or anything like that, but the driver whilst jumping up and down in his seat, imitated the bagpipes and in between breaths became a horse. He used to say Scotland at frequent intervals as if to reassure me that he knew where I came from.
Weird! I had another bad occurrence in a taxi when he started to get aggressive against a football team and he spent more time trying to clamber over the rear of his seat, to reinforce his opinion than looking where he was going. I got extremely worried about him and decided that I should leave his taxi as quickly as possible. I jumped out at an intersection and decided that I would not pay for such a ride. I could hear him shouting as I ran away down the hard shoulder ?but I don抰 want to pay to be harassed!
Apart from all of the above the typical taxi journey passes without note. Some of the drivers will seriously annoy you or make you feel sick when they open their door and spit a big gob of mucus onto the road side. But this is the way that they do it. I asked one driver not to do that again ?and he didn抰. But generally just try and ignore that. They also tend to get a bit vocal inside of the car if involved in a near miss with another car or have to sit for any length of time due to an accident up ahead. This is due to the fact that if a driver gets out of his car and shouts at another driver then he can quickly and without question be hauled off to jail. The government does not tolerate drivers making a scene in public and so drivers just do not do it, ever. This is all-and-well, unless you happen to be the poor passenger that has to take the brunt of his road rage?whilst pretending that you are not sitting in the back seat of that particular cab. . Sorry, I seem to be putting them down. The taxi system and the drivers are quite excellent and safe in Singapore and no less than any other town or city the world over. When hiring a taxi in Singapore you are ensured of a rapid and free journey to your destination and the cost is not prohibitive, you are safe and looked after at all times. One thing does puzzle me though: why the drivers constantly ask the passengers which way they would like to go. Having just arrived in Singapore I catch a taxi at the taxi station just outside the airport. I give him the name of the hotel and off he goes. After five-minutes this driver will invariably turn around and ask me whether I would like to go by the PIE or by the East Coast Road. Stupid question really as the average person arriving at Singapore Airport and especially one who is going to a hotel would not have a clue about the transport system in Singapore.
I used to think that the drivers where testing their passengers as to their knowledge of Singapore and that if they showed ignorance then they would be carted off on a tour of the city without knowing the difference. But this has not been the case as I have often put it to the test. The driver has asked me and I have given him no inkling as to my knowledge of the city ?and he has taken me the quickest route! Such is life!
Listen everybody: the Taxi Drivers in Singapore are of excellent quality and any prospective passenger is assured of an easy, safe and smooth-drive to their destination ?don抰 listen to me.
Just keep your eyes open and the drivers as well if you can!
To contact Ieuan Click Here
Ieuan is Author and Webmaster of http://www.seadolby.com
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