New GPS tracking to replace current ERP. Why Taxi?
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As
one of the world’s most expensive countries for car-owners, Singapore
has started to test a new satellite-tracking technology to tax vehicles
on congested roads.The government plans to use the Global Positioning System (GPS) to track cars on congested roads and highways and charge them levies. If necessary, this may replace the current annual road tax.
Satellite tracking will replace the current Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system that uses some 80 electronic gantries located at various busy expressways and in the city centre.
The GPS trial began in May on a stretch of Woodlands Avenue 12 not far from the Causeway, said the Today newspaper, quoting the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
The replacement of road gantries would happen in the space of 18 months, it added.
When operational, the new technology can change the travel habits of nearly a million motorists in the republic as well as visiting Malaysian drivers.
This new form of charging motorists may make it even more expensive to use a car in Singapore. For the state Treasury, it will be a more effective source of revenue.
It will be a step closer to the day when operating a car in space-challenged Singapore will be out of reach of the middle class.
The new system’s other capabilities include better traffic control like catching speeding vehicles and those which beat red lights, spotting illegal parking or tracking hit-and-run drivers.
It can help find stolen cars, assist police in solving certain types of crimes, and aid in tracking offenders.
The Straits Times, however, warned: “Singaporeans will have to watch not only their back, but high in the sky whenever they think of committing a traffic offence.”
The authorities can also – if they want to – use it to keep track of the movements of political foes.
“Big Brother will be watching you!” exclaimed one blogger.
A web surfer said it would really bring things to a whole new level: “In future your car would be watched every hour of the day, seven days a week. And that’s just plain creepy.”
A transport official mentioned no launch date, but said these are still early days. It could be a few years before all problems are ironed out and the system becomes fully operational.
He said: “(The trial area) Woodlands Avenue 12 is a suitable site as it is a relatively straight road with high traffic volumes, and a good mix of different vehicle types.”
The way our population is expanding, there is little prospect of the motorist avoiding the move away from the car to public transport, however crowded it may be.
It does not augur well for the aged, the sick and the handicapped. Official projections see the population reaching 6.5 million, but land space will remain the same.
A plethora of taxes, some uniquely designed in Singapore to reduce the car population and private car usage, has succeeded well in two areas – cutting traffic jams and lightening the burden on Singaporean pockets.
There are few countries where buying and operating a car is more expensive than in Singapore. Any elected government that tries the same measures will be out the door in the next election.
As a result, Singapore has only 12 cars per 100 people, half of Hong Kong’s 24.
The taxes imposed on private cars in Singapore are so devilishly complex that it would take a whole chapter to list them and explain how they work.
The purchasing costs include these mind-boggling factors: registration fee, cost price, road tax, COE (certificate of entitlement), additional registration fee and Customs duty.
Understandably, many Singaporean buyers do not fully understand them; they simply pay – and grumble.
Increasingly, young professionals are emigrating to countries where cars are a lot cheaper.
Here, a medium-sized 1,600cc Japanese car costs around S$120,000 (RM300,031), enough to buy a bungalow in many Asian countries. This is twice the price 18 months ago following a surge in COE prices.
How the government intends to operate the GPS system is anyone’s guess. But it will have more options than the current gantry technology.
For example, it may impose a road levy charging the motorist according to mileage covered, the time of usage or the location – or any combination of the three.
If it replaces the flat annual road tax, it could mean that the charge meter could start running the moment the owner drives his car out of his house.
“Under satellite tracking every time he drives to the corner coffee shop for a toast-and-egg breakfast, he pays for using the road,” a veteran taxi driver explained.
An advantage is that he may no longer pay an annual road tax, which could benefit infrequent motorists.
In time, the GPS method of charging may become even more unpopular than the current electronic gantry system.
Some people believe it would be implemented either long before or after 2016, the next general election.
The whole thing is part of the government’s strategy to get Singaporeans out of their cars and into public transport.
City planners want 70% of peak-hour trips by Singaporeans to be on trains and buses eventually.
The way to do it is to hit commuters in the pocket.
Years ago, an enthusiast who ran a special car blog estimated that a Singaporean must earn S$7,650 (RM19,125) a month to be able to buy and operate a car without financial stress.
At that time, the average family income was S$7,000 (RM17,500) a month.
That led to his conclusion that “a car has become a luxury item in Singapore”.
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Seah Chiang Nee
Chiang Nee has been a journalist for 40 years. He is a true-blooded Singaporean, born, bred and says that he hopes to die in Singapore. He worked as a Reuters corespondent between 1960-70, based in Singapore but with various assignments in Southeast Asia, including a total of about 40 months in (then South) Vietnam between 1966-1970. In 1970, he left to work for Singapore Herald, first as Malaysia Bureau Chief and later as News Editor before it was forced to close after a run-in with the Singapore Government. He then left Singapore to work for The Asian, the world’s first regional weekly newspaper, based in Bangkok to cover Thailand and Indochina for two years between 1972-73. Other jobs: News Editor of Hong Kong Standard (1973-74), Foreign Editor of Straits Times with reporting assignments to Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and The United States (1974-82) and Editor of Singapore Monitor (1982-85). Since 1986, he has been a columnist for the Malaysia’s The Star newspaper. Article first appeared in his blog, http://www.littlespeck.com.
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Why are taxis considered Public vehicles! when we cannot use Bus lane?
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Originally posted by PS2U:
Why are taxis considered Public vehicles! when we cannot use Bus lane?
Bro u already said it "when we cannot use Bus lane?" I believe you drive a taxi.
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Originally posted by Pntc70:
Bro u already said it "when we cannot use Bus lane?" I believe you drive a taxi.
can LTA come out with taxi lane at CBD area? hopefully 5pm - 12am.... hee hee....
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Taxis cannot be in the bus lane la. Which country allows that? Imagine 26,000 taxis using the bus lane, bus use what lane.
Taxis will start stop to pick drop pax, bus lane will be worse than other lanes.
Taxis are not public vehicles, public service vehicles maybe.
1 Malay driver driving yellow top challenged this in court about 2 years back, did it 2 times, argued his case in court - end result - $800 fine on 2 charges = $1600.
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Once they implement this, taxis which cruise looking for passengers will be hit the hardest.
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Originally posted by PS2U:
Why are taxis considered Public vehicles! when we cannot use Bus lane?
Ya loh...we drive taxi leh...If want to use bus lane then go drive bus loh....Lol
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Want to use bus lane can, raining sure nobody book you. I tried that many years when in bus lane operation times. If you get caught that means you very suay that day! Why? Who will work on raining day hiding to capture your vehicle plate? Raining can't snap no. plate clearly. SAME SLOGAN, want to try any thing illegal, just don't get caught.
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Originally posted by PS2U:
Once they implement this, taxis which cruise looking for passengers will be hit the hardest.
Than it will come up with new problems, commuters will starts complianing TAXI not enough, taxi hiding lah, taxi waiting for calls lah...eg...SMLJ also come out.
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Taxi sometimes is public transports, sometimes not. You ask me why, i also dunno.
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Originally posted by Cash Lee:
Than it will come up with new problems, commuters will starts complianing TAXI not enough, taxi hiding lah, taxi waiting for calls lah...eg...SMLJ also come out.
I prefer those time...........
Where cabby hide and pak call............si beh shiok...........
Just Marina Center alone, can hide almost 200 taxi........hahaha
Bear in mind, last time bo CBD surcharge hor..........
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Driving in Singapore will never get cheaper
That include Taxi
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So instead of spending that money to massively improve our public transport system, it is spent on improving the collection of taxes.
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Originally posted by Cash Lee:
Than it will come up with new problems, commuters will starts complianing TAXI not enough, taxi hiding lah, taxi waiting for calls lah...eg...SMLJ also come out.
Agree. As usual, they will solve it by increasing call charge, increasing peak period charge, etc... End result, less people taking taxis and more taxis driving around empty. Win-win situation for them.
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Originally posted by eagle:
So instead of spending that money to massively improve our public transport system, it is spent on improving the collection of taxes.
This started with ERP. ERP was supposed to reduce road conjestion in the first place. Since it is not effective, go for GPS tracking. Tax the heaviest road user. Heaviest road users are off course Taxis drivers lah.
It is like saying, taxi drivers got nothing else better to do but drive around all over Singapore roads all day to sightsee. Taxis are the major cause for road conjestion. Taxis are private vehicles.
Taxi drivers are private car owners, with lots of time on their hand, to drive all around Singapore, causing road conjestion all over the island, for other private car owners who don't drive taxis.
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Originally posted by Rbs70:
I prefer those time...........
Where cabby hide and pak call............si beh shiok...........
Just Marina Center alone, can hide almost 200 taxi........hahaha
Bear in mind, last time bo CBD surcharge hor..........
Gone are the good old times. Now all taxis must drive 24 hours a day!
Heard some taxi drivers can afford to throw 26 days rental in a month. How they survive?
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Originally posted by PS2U:
Gone are the good old times. Now all taxis must drive 24 hours a day!
Heard some taxi drivers can afford to throw 26 days rental in a month. How they survive?
Well, you can't base just on one month. It's all yearly basis. Like car salesman, sometime one month sell one car; some month 0; some month sell 3 - 4 cars. Like today middle of the month and raining, no mood to drive. Throw rental bring wife and son go jalan jalan.
Last year, total 70 days never drive. End of year consolidation $3x,xxxx.
I am not like u all, think too much. Use to stay in JB 16 years. Like a slow and easy life. Unlike u guys, I got something to fall back on. Just sold my old place in JB. Going to buy a new one nearer to LegoLand Malaysia.
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Originally posted by PS2U:
Once they implement this, taxis which cruise looking for passengers will be hit the hardest.
Nope. U think about it. If to "cruise looking for passengers will be hit the hardest." Then people going to complain "No Taxis" again. By then I will just join LV and wait at hot spot. Everyone will do the same cos u cruise u pay. Then might as well sit and wait.
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I think it can be both good and bad for TD,
For the bad, it means more surcharges, and who is going to bear for it, and like most of you guys here saying, drive taxis better than buying cars, can use taxis as own to do some personal stuff, given the higher cost of operating pte cars, more taxis drivers will be on the road.
For the good, it might not really affect us, as consumers, the pax will bear the cost of such implemention, on the other hands, many will give up driving and take public transport including cabs, this will help to elevate the excessive cabs on the road.
What I forseen in the next 5 years, COE is never going to go down, it is something govt are able to get as people are still buying, but less, but less doesn't imply less income for govt in term of such high COE, it is like one person now buying a car is equal to 3 persons paying the COE few years ago.
Next is that for TD, my guess is our trips will get lesser in term of distance, because as public transport become more availiable for peoples, peoples will tends to take a mixture of bus Mrt and Taxis, most will end up at MRT stations waiting to take a cab or taking a cab to MRT station, which is expanding substaintially
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Originally posted by PS2U:
Gone are the good old times. Now all taxis must drive 24 hours a day!
Heard some taxi drivers can afford to throw 26 days rental in a month. How they survive?
There's nothing wrong in throwing rental leh..........
Individual mah..........
Of course if your bank not full full type, than better don't try loh.........
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Correct me if I am wrong. Currently, we only pay daily rental to taxi company and all other costs including maintenance cost, insurance and road tax are taken care by the taxi company.
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Originally posted by MMO69:
Correct me if I am wrong. Currently, we only pay daily rental to taxi company and all other costs including maintenance cost, insurance and road tax are taken care by the taxi company.
We pay daily rental of $100. Works out to $3000 per month. Everything covered except accident. In an accident, taxi driver is guilty unless proven innocent. Maintenance cost questionable. If car breakdown and your radiator low water, you have to pay for replacement of whole engine. Many more examples I believe bros here can contribute.
Owning a car costs around $1800 per month. There is a good breakdown of the costs involved here. http://www.moneysmart.sg/frugal-living/ride-or-drive-the-cost-of-car-ownership-vs-public-transport-in-singapore/ You sell the car, you get back something.