LPPL ...
-
HE BUYS CAR BECAUSE OF CAB FARE HIKE
Some commuters find cost of taking taxis & cost of owning small cars almost equal
By Elysa Chan
January 21, 2008
HE had to wait more than 20 minutes for a taxi every morning.
New car owner: Mr Kenneth Liu (right, seen with sales executive Sam Lim) had been thinking of buying a car for a long time, and he bought one after the taxi fare hikes. - Picture: Mohd Ishak
So bank employee Kenneth Liu, 27, decided to pay an additional $4 to book a cab to go to work daily.
That meant $18 just to go to work.
Then came the taxi fare hike.
With the 35 per cent surcharge during peak hours, his monthly transport costs shot up by $200.
So, after doing his calculations, MrLiu decided to buy a car, figuring it would be cheaper.
Like him, The New Paper on Sunday did a quick comparison between the cost of taking a taxi every working day and the cost of driving small cars.
To our surprise, we found that they were almost equal, never mind the soaring petrol prices. (See report, above.)
CONVENIENT
Mr Liu is not alone. Other taxi commuters also told The New Paper on Sunday that they have bought or plan to buy cars after the recent taxi fare hike.
He said: 'I have been thinking of buying a car for a long time, and the taxi fare hikes just confirmed my decision.'
Mr Liu, who has to take cabs very often for work, said that before the fare hike, his monthly transport costs came to about $300.
He said: 'After the hike, I would spend about $500 on taxi fares.
'If I add up the amount my girlfriend and I spend on transport, I'll have enough to not only pay for my monthly instalment, I can even cover some of my petrol costs.'
Mr Liu pays $500 in monthly instalments for his Honda Fit which he bought in December for $59,000.
He agrees that taxis may still be cheaper because of the additional money he has to cough up for petrol, parking and maintaining his car.
But he says the added comfort and convenience makes it worthwhile.
Mr Liu said: 'With a car, it's easier for me and my family to get around, and I can even drop my girlfriend off, so she can also save on the cab fare.'
Another commuter, who wanted to be known only as Mrs Ng, said she had 'no choice' but to buy a car.
Mrs Ng, 36, a financial controller who works in Changi, said: 'With the peak hour charges and the morning jam on the TPE, my fare will come close to $30.'
Mrs Ng, who also bought a Honda Fit in December, said: 'For me, driving a car is cheaper than taking taxis.
'Previously, I always had to call for a cab, because I live in Sengkang and taxi drivers do not like to come here.
'Now, with a car of my own, I can go anywhere.'
Some car dealers also said the fare hike has pushed customers to them.
Mr Sam Lim, 34, Mr Liu's car dealer, said: 'Out of 10 customers, at least two tell me that they are buying a car because of the taxi fare hikes.'
Mr Paul Ng, general manager of Vertex Automobile, the authorised dealer for the Chery QQ, said this was because it is 'cheaper to own a car now than to take a taxi, especially since the monthly instalments can be as low as $300'.
And though there has been no across-the-board increase in demand for cars since the taxi fares went up, some dealers said sales had gone up.
A sales executive who wanted to be known only as Mr Chua said: 'Just over the last two months, I have sold 22 cars.
'Together with my colleagues, we have sold more than 60 cars, which is twice the usual number we sell at this time of the year. I believe this is because of the taxi fare hike.'
His company sold 30 to 40 cars over December and January in previous years.
Another assistant sales manager, who declined to be named, said two of his customers decided to buy a car because of the taxi fare hike.
He said: 'They make long journeys, so it's better for them to buy cars instead of taking taxis. Smaller cars are popular with them because of the low fuel consumption.'
Sales manager Clifford Ng, 29, agreed. He said: 'Transportation costs are getting so high, it just makes more sense to buy a car, which can cost only $30,000 to $40,000.
'If a person takes a taxi every day, his transport can work out to $900 a month. Compared with this, the $450 monthly instalment for a car like the Hyundai Getz is worthwhile.'
However, not all car dealers are seeing a switch to cars from taxis.
Mr George Lee, 36, sales manager at Alpine Motors, an authorised dealer for Chevrolet cars in Singapore, feels this may be because a large majority of those who take cabs do not have driving licences.
Other dealers also felt that most people would exercise more caution when it comes to buying cars.
Mr Sam Lim, 33, director of Carz Junction said: 'Although the monthly instalment is only about $500, it's burden you have to shoulder for 10years,' he said.
'Furthermore, petrol costs are so high now. If your job is not stable, I think you should not buy a car.'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Taxi
Average cost per trip from Yishun to Orchard Road after fare hike: $20
Number of trips a day: 2
Number of working days a month: 20
Monthly transport cost: $800
Chevrolet Spark
Cost: $43,000
Fuel consumption: 17.8 km/litre
Monthly instalment: $429
Monthly petrol: $210
Insurance and road tax (per month): $140
Monthly transport cost: $779
Honda Fit
Cost: $60,000
Fuel consumption: 14 km/l
Monthly instalment: $625
Monthly petrol: $270
Insurance and road tax (per month): $140
Monthly transport cost: $1,035
Chery QQ
Cost: $32,000
Fuel consumption: 14 km/l
Monthly instalment (using 10 year loan): $313
Monthly petrol: $270
Insurance and road tax (per month): $140
Monthly transport cost: $723 -
My mum just bought a car aft considering for so long.
-
I think taxis driving around looking for pick ups waste money on fuel.
I think the availability of a portable booking system service that can lower overall costs through eradicating this waste while accounting for admin cost, set up cost, maintenance and other costs and still being able to charge reasonable booking service fee to the taxi driver would be very attractive to drivers and allow them to stay competitive. -
All please repeat what i am going to say:-
The Govenment is not doing his job for allowing the unreaonable huge TAXI HIKE ! -
So long as they get big big salary, you think they bother about whether you have dinner on your table tonight.Originally posted by happieman:All please repeat what i am going to say:-
The Govenment is not doing his job for allowing the unreaonable huge TAXI HIKE !
Remember this, they are about making big big profits not about maintaining the livelihood of locals.
We should also becareful of what we say, else the arse lickers will ask for proof that they are not doing their job.
Later have to do quantitative analysis on the income and expense of taxi companies also. -
I've already boycott taxis since the previous hike
With this 2nd hike, I will not even consider it, unless die die need to take. -
when comfort were reporting their cabbies were taking in more earnings, you could hear the skeptical laughters from many, including cab drivers themselves....my uncle who drives for leisure has found a new job, baby sitting his grandkids, my neighbour traded in the cab for a delivery van and one cabbie i had a conversation with plans to give up after cny to run a pc shop....
maybe it's a knee jerk reaction but i think cabs are too expensive to be a viable option...my uncle was relating an incident of how a family boarded his cab from downtown east to amk during peak hour, the fare came to $42, the family wasn't expecting it and told my uncle that's the last they'll hail a cab for 'long' distance....
comfort loves to compare with other countries on how the fares are comparable, does anyone have any idea as to how much cab rentals are like in hk, london and aussie where comfort had drew comparison from? -
Our taxi fares are now comparable to Japan, but our salaries are comparable to China.Originally posted by countdracula:when comfort were reporting their cabbies were taking in more earnings, you could hear the skeptical laughters from many, including cab drivers themselves....my uncle who drives for leisure has found a new job, baby sitting his grandkids, my neighbour traded in the cab for a delivery van and one cabbie i had a conversation with plans to give up after cny to run a pc shop....
maybe it's a knee jerk reaction but i think cabs are too expensive to be a viable option...my uncle was relating an incident of how a family boarded his cab from downtown east to amk during peak hour, the fare came to $42, the family wasn't expecting it and told my uncle that's the last they'll hail a cab for 'long' distance....
comfort loves to compare with other countries on how the fares are comparable, does anyone have any idea as to how much cab rentals are like in hk, london and aussie where comfort had drew comparison from?
1st world living standards at 3rd world salaries. -
I don't quite agree with the author's calculation for the charges of car usage.
You still need to factor in maintenance (e.g. ERP charges, repairs, tyres, motor oil, car park fees (home + workplace), etc).
The cost of using a car will definitely be higher, unless you are taking alot of taxi trips, then perhaps the cost of car will be cheaper. -
regarding ERP, even when you are taking taxi, you are still the one footing the ERPOriginally posted by maurizio13:I don't quite agree with the author's calculation for the charges of car usage.
You still need to factor in maintenance (e.g. ERP charges, repairs, tyres, motor oil, car park fees, etc).
The cost of using a car will definitely be higher, unless you are taking alot of taxi trips, then perhaps the cost of car will be cheaper. -
... rightly so, but didn't they say that ERP charges are mainly for motorists / car owners?Originally posted by eagle:regarding ERP, even when you are taking taxi, you are still the one footing the ERP
... so if a non- car owner takes a cab, he or she will be paying expenses supposedly targeted at Car Owners... -
Ermm....Originally posted by eagle:regarding ERP, even when you are taking taxi, you are still the one footing the ERP
A taxi fare of $20 from Yishun to Orchard, I am assuming that there was ERP in the calculation.
So if you drive to work, you still have to pay ERP, which is not included in the author's calculation.
Owning a car in Singapore is not cheap, I don't think it will be less than $1,000 a month. -
next thing they will tell uOriginally posted by HyperFocal:... rightly so, but didn't they say that ERP charges are mainly for motorists / car owners?
... so if a non- car owner takes a cab, he or she will be paying expenses supposedly targeted at Car Owners...
ERP charges are for road users, so cab commuters will have to foot it.
and next thing you know
Bus commuters will be charged an extra 10 cents when they tap their EZlink on alighting the bus. -
Ya, I missed that part. My mistake... Should be factored in already...Originally posted by maurizio13:Ermm....
A taxi fare of $20 from Yishun to Orchard, I am assuming that there was ERP in the calculation.
So if you drive to work, you still have to pay ERP, which is not included in the author's calculation.
Owning a car in Singapore is not cheap, I don't think it will be less than $1,000 a month.
Anyway, one of my friends calculated that the maximum price you can pay on entering the cab without having move off yet is $9
That is like enough for 2~3 meals for me lor... -
me no money to buy car... so take bus only...
-
I also take trainOriginally posted by ispyyy:me no money to buy car... so take bus only... -
LoL... my company is actually doing a newer version of taxi booking, without operator and the taxi driver can even get job while having his kopi in a kopithiam. Beat driving ard hunting for customer. Hope the booking fees is as low as up to 50 cents only. and user can do it via a few click on a free downloadable software on any phone.Originally posted by phil30k:I think taxis driving around looking for pick ups waste money on fuel.
I think the availability of a portable booking system service that can lower overall costs through eradicating this waste while accounting for admin cost, set up cost, maintenance and other costs and still being able to charge reasonable booking service fee to the taxi driver would be very attractive to drivers and allow them to stay competitive.
But think comfort is gona kill us if we release it out here. -
You forgot to mention our minister pay is higher than first world hor ...Originally posted by maurizio13:Our taxi fares are now comparable to Japan, but our salaries are comparable to China.
1st world living standards at 3rd world salaries. -
Now it seem more people driving car so cab driver will suffer but the government will be collecting more on road taxes, ERP etc ...
-
I don't know what justification they have to pay themselves salaries 6 times that of the US president, when the US president administers a country 14,667 times that of Singapore and takes care of 66 times the population of Singapore.Originally posted by ORIGAMIST:You forgot to mention our minister pay is higher than first world hor ...
Even our cabinet minister's salary is at least 2 times that of the US President, I bet President George Bush regrets that his father did not take up Singapore citizenship then. -
this forum can only be seen by ppl of ur views ... those that held differently for this thread will not come in ..Originally posted by maurizio13:I don't know what justification they have to pay themselves salaries 6 times that of the US president, when the US president administers a country 14,667 times that of Singapore and takes care of 66 times the population of Singapore.
Even our cabinet minister's salary is at least 2 times that of the US President, I bet President George Bush regrets that his father did not take up Singapore citizenship then.
so i don see any point here -
... frankly, how do we even begin to praise the government ?
... even if I want to, how can I start, how to?
... every day, every week, every month, throughout the year, the papers carries such news & articles that basically, puts their policies & actions in question...
... HOW to praise them when they ALWYAS stick their feet into their own mouths??? -
... here's another...
Mon, Jan 21, 2008
The Straits Times
57,000 affected by 7-hour breakdown in MRT train service
SOME 57,000 were stranded when MRT train services on the East-West line between Pasir Ris and Tanah Merah stations were disrupted on Monday morning.
There was no train service from 5.39 am till 12.45 pm between the two stations. Normal service resumed after that.
The disruption was caused by the breakdown of a maintenance work train which was carrying out works between Tampines and Simei (westbound) MRT stations, said SMRT in a statement on Monday.
'There were some damages to the maintenance works train and we are investigating the cause,' said SMRT, the train operator.
During the breakdown, eastbound trains were turned around at Tanah Merah MRT station.
Buses were deployed to ferry stranded passengers between the two stations, with the first arriving at Tanah Merah MRT station at 5.48 am.
Forty SMRT buses and 30 Singapore Bus Service Transport buses were sent to Pasir, Ris, Tampines, Simei and Tanah Merah stations to pick up the commuters.
The disruption also affected wesbound shuttle trains serving Tampines, Simei and Tanah Merah MRT stations from 8.28 am.
They were running at 28-minute intervals to ease passenger flow at Tampines and Simei MRT stations.
SMRT said passengers were informed of the service disruption and the free bus bridging services through train and station announcements, notices and rail travel information system in the stations and broadcast channels.
Many passengers also had difficulty getting taxis as most of them were occupied.
SMRT said passengers who were unable to complete their journey due to the disruption can claim a full fare refund from the Passenger Service Centre at any of the 51 SMRT stations within the next three working days, from Monday to Thursday.
SMRT has apologised for the inconvenience caused. -
apologise nia, never compensate ...
-
Hey we have good people who knew this was going to happen.
That's why they are revamping the transport system soon.
Again.