THERE has been much talk about the complicated taxi fares and surcharges ("Complex cab fares enough to drive you crazy"; Oct 26), but taxi drivers also face pressures.
Every customer we pick up is income to us. While we do our best to serve commuters, the business environment is really getting tough.
Taxi rental has gone up over the years. Diesel and fuel prices have also escalated.
To appease drivers, taxi operators increase flagdown rates to offer options for drivers to earn enough to cover the rental.
To us, it seldom results in higher take-home pay as the increase in flagdown fares usually means we have less business.
Many drivers are putting in an extra hour or two of driving a day just to cover the higher costs.
This is in addition to the 10 to 12 hours we are already putting in a day.
New taxi availability standards put in place early this year are an added burden.
While the increased costs and new service requirements are imposed on the taxi operators, the reality is that these obligations are passed to us in the form of higher rental and new hiring agreements demanding that we abide by these new requirements.
We believe that a review of the fare structure by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is incomplete without a corresponding review of the rental issue.
Appeals by the National Taxi Association to the taxi operators to review rental thus far have only led to the shrugging of shoulders.
Yes, we can switch taxi operators to get what we deem as a better deal in terms of taxi rental cost.
However, these agreements are ultimately drafted by the operators and we can only be the price takers.
As long as the system stays this way, the conditions are unlikely to improve for us.
Nonetheless, we will press on and we are confident that we will display the same resilience we did during the recent haze and previous Sars crises.
A little help will go a long way though, and we hope the LTA will help enhance the operating environment to ensure a fairer level playing field for all parties involved.
Gerald Chan
President
National Taxi Association
Gerald Chan (President) National Taxi Association
the solution is very simple if one wants to get off the comfey chair and do it its called "industrial action" where all the TD stop driving and not pay any rental for lets say 10 days then see how quick the agreements and rental structures come in line with reality and affordability. BTW its not only the rental structures which are a issue but the role of Taxi companies also needs to be reviewed specially in taxi driver and costumer relation as the function of taxi company is only taxi rental and thats it the taxi driver and costumer relation should come under the licensing authority not the rental company, but knowing the cushy paycheck and the foreign trips which comes as a perk with the job none of this will even be considered hence we the Taxi driver will slave under these carefully crafted agreements /contracts that is one of the main reason i dont bother joining the so called association as its like the rest of its brotherns "toothless" paper tiger
Originally posted by bowah:In the end, LTA bo yew lan NTA…hahaha…
Keep pressing on brother president, and let us know if rental can go down a cent.
Let compound the last 5 years inflation rates, people paid had gone up 20% per day, and we TD is still the same….getting poorer and far behind, then still got pax telling us when to change shift, how to change shift…wa lau…taxi drivers of Singapore, from ah lau, to howlians to ah siao ahamd, fatimah, aunties, uncles..stand up and be united, otherwise, we will get conn further.
DSM
This is fucking true.
we'll end up like football, kicked around
Originally posted by Taxitemp12:Gerald Chan (President) National Taxi Association
the solution is very simple if one wants to get off the comfey chair and do it its called "industrial action" where all the TD stop driving and not pay any rental for lets say 10 days then see how quick the agreements and rental structures come in line with reality and affordability. BTW its not only the rental structures which are a issue but the role of Taxi companies also needs to be reviewed specially in taxi driver and costumer relation as the function of taxi company is only taxi rental and thats it the taxi driver and costumer relation should come under the licensing authority not the rental company, but knowing the cushy paycheck and the foreign trips which comes as a perk with the job none of this will even be considered hence we the Taxi driver will slave under these carefully crafted agreements /contracts that is one of the main reason i dont bother joining the so called association as its like the rest of its brotherns "toothless" paper tiger
Association just wants membership $
No direct benefits. I think Mr Ang also powerless
NTA is seriously powerless. They cannot defend the TDs and yet dared to make a statement. I have stopped coffing to the membership. They act just like MPs. But come to the end they cannot change the fact.
NTA today and tomorrow got big fair at AMK. Free this, free that.. $5 medical checkup, free dental check..got any bro here go anot?
knn, recruitment drive lah...
Originally posted by Taxilim88:NTA today and tomorrow got big fair at AMK. Free this, free that.. $5 medical checkup, free dental check..got any bro here go anot?
knn, recruitment drive lah...
Gimmicks.
A bait to lure fishes in
Originally posted by Taxilim88:NTA today and tomorrow got big fair at AMK. Free this, free that.. $5 medical checkup, free dental check..got any bro here go anot?
knn, recruitment drive lah...
Only good deal is Grid talkie and accs
Originally posted by Taxilim88:NTA today and tomorrow got big fair at AMK. Free this, free that.. $5 medical checkup, free dental check..got any bro here go anot?
knn, recruitment drive lah...
Anyone here attended?
Incentives shld be given to offset rental. This will encourage TDs to be productive. And really drive for the right purpose.
Incentives in rebates or cpf contributions can be given for
1. Mileage clocked
2. No. Of bookings completed
im sure all these can be easily tracked by the companies. Will LTA enforce any useful measures?? If not. NTA can close shop lah.
Originally posted by bowah:Brother, in my study into working pyshology, we are merely part of the taxi being exploited and getting further exploited if that profit margin of company need to shift up, there is no 2 ways, only one way, exploit the taxi drivers, the more exploitation, the more profit generated for their shareholders, who are govt related.
Govt put COE high, taxi companies buy high, govt earn one big chunk
Then taxi companies (GLC) increase rental lead to increase of fares, they earn another big chunk.Reward and incentive tends to peg with performance, but performance must be realistic and safe.
If you remember last time in production line, companies (especially those Jap companies) like to reward people with no MC for a year, or full attendent for a month, these are all exploitation tools, and it will end up people damaging their health or trade their health to get the reward, so even he is very sick at the last day, he still come and still work on.
Same goes to incentive given to mileage clocked or nos of booking completed, for me and you, this are the carrots, the stick will be you might hv to struggle to get it, and in the struggling to get it, you might get into accident, health problem such as prolong stress and getting yourself too demanding on calls and so on.
Good analogy
like I said cab companies have been very quiet still
Cab companies tok so much got use meh? LTA fart only, they tremble liao. They all waiting for LTA to give them directions nia lah..
Yes.....TDs need a living.....and open themselves for exploitations by the companies....
Its all abt $$$ lah.... Smlj TDs rights welfare....lan lah....
arya told you liao. Say so much, so much displeased. Recently LHL already say those who not happy voice out / should step forward and identify oneself. If really not happy with the mangement, do something in GE2016. No point complaining over here.
Like what the PAP / management thinks...they only talk but they dont do the ground work. They think they are the elite class. Ask LHL to go drive taxi for 1 year see whether he can tahan anot.
nah. omit his pay for 1 month, and learn the TD's way of earning for 1 month. See i think 3rd day he pom chek. He only know how to spend singaporean's money (taxpayer's money) dont even know how to claim fares from passenger when he sent the pax to their destination. I think most likely he gives huge discount.