[MyPaper] Ways to fix the missing cab problem
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Ditch all surcharges, impose all-day levies at far-flung places or introduce even more surcharges to solve the longstanding problem of disappearing taxis just before the peak period.
These are some of the solutions that experts, industry players and taxi drivers have suggested, after the issue resurfaced recently.
The Straits Times reported on Sept 8 that cabs at Changi Airport seemed to have gone missing just before peak-hour surcharges kicked in, leaving travellers waiting for more than 30 minutes for a cab.
The Straits Times received more than 10 forum letters on the issue of how best to solve this problem.
Surcharges were meant to better match supply and demand. But many, like cabby Colin Wong, have called for peak-hour and location levies to be axed.
Their rationale? Cabbies already know where and when passengers need cabs most, so there is no need to incentivise them. "We know where and when passengers need cabs... We will still go to where there will be demand and business," said Mr Wong, 53.
Removing all surcharges will placate commuters unhappy about the current fare structure, which they say is confusing.
There are close to 10 different flag-down fares, three metered-fare structures, more than 10 kinds of surcharges and eight types of phone-booking fees.
Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo said last November that the Government is looking at simplifying the current taxi-fare structure to make it less confusing.
But earlier this year, she said this might lead to higher taxi rentals and fares - a possible result of covering the shortfall that drivers face when the surcharges are removed, experts explained.
When contacted, the Transport Ministry said it is still "studying this carefully to ensure that taxi commuters and drivers are not worse off if any changes are made".
SIM University urban transport management expert Park Byung Joon backed the idea of simplifying the fare structure but keeping the airport levy.
"Unlike shopping centres in the middle of city, the airport is away from the city centre... There must be an incentive for taxi drivers to go to the airport."
Dr Park said the airport surcharge could be tiered according to plane-arrival schedules to give cabbies more incentive to go when cabs are needed.
Transport economist Michael Li from Nanyang Business School said the difficulty is deciding on a surcharge amount that does not result in a cab crunch elsewhere.
"It's a basic service standard, but it should not make it a disincentive for those plying in the city," he said.
Experts noted that removing surcharges would be a massive exercise. In the interim, companies could add more surcharges to fix the current problem.
However, Ang Hin Kee (MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC), who is also an adviser to the National Taxi Association, said this was a multi-faceted problem.
"Cab operators and taxi drivers are operating within the tight parameters of a competitive fare and revenue environment, and there is not much room for adjustment," he said.
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jokers la all. Ask them drive teksi 1st before they complain.
IF they can hit $6k nett per month, i keep quiet.
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Lj lah... split spore into 4 zones and allocate taxis according to the zone and have a central drop off point
Taxi can't go to other zone and only drop pax at the drop off zone. Then pax can take another taxi to their zone....
Tourist can only take limo and only by call.....
Then fare can be standardized but be fair lah...must be slightly higher...
Win win situation lor....
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Originally posted by Diablo9898:
Lj lah... split spore into 4 zones and allocate taxis according to the zone and have a central drop off point
Taxi can't go to other zone and only drop pax at the drop off zone. Then pax can take another taxi to their zone....
Tourist can only take limo and only by call.....
Then fare can be standardized but be fair lah...must be slightly higher...
Win win situation lor....
SG ======>>>>>> HK.
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It is the many kiasu passengers who try to avoid paying surcharge by taking cab before 6pm peak hour that causes a demand and supply problem. This situation creates an illusion that cabs are missing.
With 5.5m residents, it is quite frequent that demand exceeds supply.
Conclusion, planners did not increase pool of taxis before granting more employment/work passes.
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Fare adjustment coming lah
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Originally posted by Stpngks:
It is the many kiasu passengers who try to avoid paying surcharge by taking cab before 6pm peak hour that causes a demand and supply problem. This situation creates an illusion that cabs are missing.
With 5.5m residents, it is quite frequent that demand exceeds supply.
Conclusion, planners did not increase pool of taxis before granting more employment/work passes.
Resident 5.5, tourists and travellers at any one time is 1.0million. total 6.5millions. Taking into consideration a family of 4 will be 6.5millions/4=1.6 millions -
1.6millions verus 27 thousand taxis, Given one way trip each taxi = 59 trips per day. Again divided by 2 shifts approx 30 trips per driver. This was what I present to the board, given that there is no surcharges but compensated thru fares increment, each driver taking 30 trips per day to some is normal, to others can be a death threat to up lorry fast.
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Therefore if each driver take only 20 trip max per shift, each taxi would had took 40 trips per day instead of 60 trips, a shortage of 20 trips, and with 27,000 thousands taxi, there will be 540,000 trip in a group of 4 paxs not serve or unable to get a cab
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However, not to worry lah, of the 1.6millions in group of 4 paxs, nearly 600,000 do not take public transport (pte car owners), 200,000 never take taxi or will not take taxi other than MRT and buses. Remember all these figures are in group of 4 (a family nuclear) So in total, we got only 800,000 in group of 4 taking cab, therefore the trip would had reduced further to 15 trips per shift only. And that each taxi per day can get 30 trips if equally shares, so when my ah Fool today take 25 trips per shift, someone will be OBK
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And if these 800,000 potential paxs reduced due to economy no good or that other public transport such as mrt and buses improved...taxi drivers can call it a day liao...and that is also why, some drive until sian..go home sleep
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Of course talking so much still cannot solve the above problem, what I am trying to preach is that we got enough taxis on the road, so taxi companies, plse do not increase anymore taxis, because more and more current taxi drivers will go OBK with people like my ah fool and many others chiongsters who die die target $200 net per shift type. This problem started and get noticed because of Airport issues, AP being the forefront of Singapore, must be presentable, otherwise given a world Nos 1 Airport status but no taxis is totally a laughing stock. So, to solve this problem, concentrating on where you want a smoother taxis availiability, my suggestion is AP on weekends be given full day $5 surcharges starting from friday 5pm all way to Monday 6am.
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all these idiots write in to papers never drive cab before are also the cheapos who want premier transport for free. they can rot and die.
read so much, write so much, forget that td is self employed
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Originally posted by bowah:
Of course talking so much still cannot solve the above problem, what I am trying to preach is that we got enough taxis on the road, so taxi companies, plse do not increase anymore taxis, because more and more current taxi drivers will go OBK with people like my ah fool and many others chiongsters who die die target $200 net per shift type.
This problem started and get noticed because of Airport issues, AP being the forefront of Singapore, must be presentable, otherwise given a world Nos 1 Airport status but no taxis is totally a laughing stock.
So, to solve this problem, concentrating on where you want a smoother taxis availiability, my suggestion is AP on weekends be given full day $5 surcharges starting from friday 5pm all way to Monday 6am.
Write until I don't know what you are saying???
In short, it's not that we do not have enough taxis to cater for the demands...just that at certain time, taxis will be at a location where the demand is not high as they need to ferry paxs to that destination....
Bowah, after writing so long... you only touch on AP. How about the rest???
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Originally posted by Terry Young:
all these idiots write in to papers never drive cab before are also the cheapos who want premier transport for free. they can rot and die.
read so much, write so much, forget that td is self employed
They are the types where they want value for $ paxs...
In Hokkien, "you ai pi, you ai qi, you ai tua liap ni"
Lai lai, tell them we are "you tua ki, you cheng ki, lagi best...you mian lui" but only applicable to their pretty w??e and dau???er...
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Originally posted by hammerhammer8888:
Fare adjustment coming lah
show going to start!! -
Originally posted by Alvin87a:
show going to start!!TD huat or COY huat !!!
haha.
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Originally posted by Elginang:
TD huat or COY huat !!!
haha.
huat also keep to ownself!!!
where got ppl do bussiness keep shouting huat scare whole world dunno!!
taxi driver alot 48 king
when pretty lady onboard taxi....become 96 super king!!
earn 3k become 9k
work 16 hrs told ppl less than 8 hrs
3inch snake
become
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To be frank, one of the most competency of our govt is speaking and writing but no solution, because writing and speaking long long will tire many people out..and once you get tired listeneing to them, blur blur in reading their writing..you give up, and they won. Taxis shortage at certain period of time is not something new, and it is also not something TD wish or purposely let it happen. When I talk about the AP flock of birds flying here and there, people must know that Taxi drivers are also small time businessmen, and in the context of business, if you are not cunning and skrew, you either lost or earn lesser, therefore, authority and public must look from this perspectives before making any accusation and changes
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Originally posted by Alvin87a:
huat also keep to ownself!!!
where got ppl do bussiness keep shouting huat scare whole world dunno!!
taxi driver alot 48 king
when pretty lady onboard taxi....become 96 super king!!
earn 3k become 9k
work 16 hrs told ppl less than 8 hrs
3inch snake
becomestir ar stir ar.
if everyone keeps thinking teksi gd to drive, so be it. haha. i keep stiring rojak.
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Originally posted by Ct2220:
The Straits Times reported on Sept 8 that cabs at Changi Airport seemed to have gone missing just before peak-hour surcharges kicked in, leaving travellers waiting for more than 30 minutes for a cab.
Peak hour surcharges apply to everywhere not only airport. It should happen to everywhere no only airport. Hence, it is not correct to use peak hour surcharges as the excuse that airport no taxi. If no pax going to airport, of course, no taxi lah. If airport no surcharge, u tink TD will queue there. Wait long long.
Isnt airport got limo taxi service? Why need to wait? Cannot pay say cannot pay.
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Originally posted by Ct2220:
Surcharges were meant to better match supply and demand. But many, like cabby Colin Wong, have called for peak-hour and location levies to be axed.
Their rationale? Cabbies already know where and when passengers need cabs most, so there is no need to incentivise them. "We know where and when passengers need cabs... We will still go to where there will be demand and business," said Mr Wong, 53.
Cannot imagine got TD ask ppl to pay less for a job done. Is this wat a reasonable person will say?
Will taxi companies reduce the rental of a taxi?
Will bus/mrt operator give free ride without LTA paying them?
Will bus and mrt operators not increase the transport fares?
Why these stupid ppl is asking thing so unreasonable on the taxi service?
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Originally posted by Ct2220:
There are close to 10 different flag-down fares, three metered-fare structures, more than 10 kinds of surcharges and eight types of phone-booking fees.
Public still tink that taxi service is public transport. But when you call PTC about taxi service, they will tell u that it is not under their scope.
Huge gap between public and authority on the understanding of taxi service.
Not public service, you expect standard pricing? Do you see standard pricing for food in hawker centre?
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Originally posted by Ct2220:
However, Ang Hin Kee (MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC), who is also an adviser to the National Taxi Association, said this was a multi-faceted problem.
"Cab operators and taxi drivers are operating within the tight parameters of a competitive fare and revenue environment, and there is not much room for adjustment," he said.
To solve this is simple, cannot, nevermind, change next better person.