MP proposes a new taxi surcharge?
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By Hedirman Supian, TODAY | Posted: 19 November 2007 1212 hrs
SINGAPORE: Even as the Land Transport Authority brings out the big stick in its bid to rein in errant cabbies starting today, a Member of Parliament has proposed a peak-hour carrot - a "location surcharge" - to improve taxi services in areas with greater demand.
MP Seng Han Thong has suggested an additional sum for busy places like clubs, pubs, hotels, shopping malls and Raffles Place.
The root cause of soliciting, refusing to pick up passengers and overcharging lay in the pricing mechanism, he said, and errant cabbies resorted to such behaviour because demand for taxis exceeded the supply at certain times and places.
The MP, who is adviser to the six-affiliate Taxi Operators' Association, wrote in the latest edition of NTUC This Week: "Taxi companies need to impose surcharges at taxi stands in the CBD (central business district) and Orchard Road areas during peak hours, and at lobbies of hotels, major tourist attractions and nightspots."
He said: "Only location surcharges can address the problem of balancing the demand and supply of taxi services at specific places and time, while allowing taxis to charge a more affordable rate at other places such as HDB estates and neighbourhood shopping malls."
Singapore's approximately 45,000 taxi drivers have been getting a lot of bad press recently for soliciting, overcharging, meter-less rides, accepting advance bookings but not turning up, and refusing to pick passengers at taxi stands.
Effective today, the LTA will enforce harsher penalties on drivers for refusing to pick up passengers - a S$300 fine, six demerit points and an immediate two-week suspension.
Those guilty of touting will be docked 12 demerit points, fined S$500 and suspended for four weeks, while drivers caught overcharging by more than S$20 will have their licences withdrawn.
A TODAY reader complained recently that a taxi driver had charged him and his friend S$50 for a ride to Changi Airport from Boat Quay, while others said they were stood up by cabbies despite confirmed advance bookings.
But Mr Seng noted that the "silent majority" of taxi drivers were hardworking, making an honest living.
"We know that a very small group of errant taxi drives have given the Singapore taxi service a bad name whereas the silent majority is not as vocal as others in explaining the problems they have to face everyday," he wrote.
He said taxi drivers' biggest concern was the rapidly rising operating costs, which had increased to some S$780 a month.
"The pressure on them is immense because they have to work hard to earn the extras in order to settle these increases in operating costs," he said.
The parliamentarian's proposal did not sit too well with bunker trader Lynn Chong, who said: "No, there's enough surcharge. There's already a peak-hour charge. It already costs up to S$7 upfront if you take a cab in the CBD or town area during the peak hour." It will cost even more if one makes a call booking.
Ms Carol Loo, a financial adviser who spends between S$600 and S$800 a month on cabs, agreed, laying the blame on errant drivers who just cruise around waiting for call bookings. A price change will not make a dramatic effect.
She suggested that the taxi companies re-look their business models: "Their practices are lousy in the first place. A price fix won't be fair to people, they should be paying more for better service or quality."
But marketing undergraduate Nur Iskandar Malik welcomed the proposed increase during peak hours: "I wouldn't mind paying."
It would be better than having to wait in vain for a cab. Like many other long-suffering commuters, he will find out tonight if the LTA stick will see the return of the "disappearing" taxis during peak hours. - TODAY/ym -
IMO, the proposed new taxi surcharge will not work because errant drivers are driven from greed to make more money than what they should and any adjustment will only bring the greed to another level.
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Surprising, to my dismay, i can't help but agree with you...Originally posted by Gazelle:IMO, the proposed new taxi surcharge will not work because errant drivers are driven from greed to make more money than what they should and any adjustment will only bring the greed to another level.
I think people high up there, should not transfer the load from cab drivers to the passengers... did they think out of the box??? why don't they transfer the load to the operators? why not asking the operators to lower their rental so that cab drivers have lower burden instead??
people high up there, use your blain... use your blain -
No .... problems arise only once the surcharges stops at 8pm !Originally posted by Gazelle:IMO, the proposed new taxi surcharge will not work because errant drivers are driven from greed to make more money than what they should and any adjustment will only bring the greed to another level.
Who has problems getting a cab during 5pm - 8pm at Raffles Place ?
No , it's taxis Q-ing for customers .
Why ? Cos there's a surcharge $2 peak hour and $1 city charge .
Yes i Q-up for the extras , guarantee surcharges . -
Datas has collected by LTA la .... and the taxi Associations also submitted a feedback report to Chief Seng Han Tong , and he is adressing the problem .
A fact that has been there : Why 5pm to 8pm taxis Q-up for customers ?
And when 8pm til 11.30pm , customers formed a Long Q for taxis ?
$$$$ ma ..... used your brain !
5-8pm cabbies are happy for the xtras .... extra $3 in CBD
8pm -11.30pm , cabbies like me , not happy no extra , so take call , got extra $4 .
That's why la !!
If after 8pm , if within CBD , parliament approved , extra $2 , then I for sure , no need take call ..... wasting time , $2 is fast and efficient enough .
Use your brain as some has suggested .
I have been saying the same old crap in here for the past 6 months , $$$ issues , now finally we can see some light at the end of the tunnel .
Our wish are going to come true .
Extra $$$$ lo ...... -
A week ago .... on 14th November , i posted something similiar before MP Seng HT proposed the surcharge .
http://liverpool.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=291308
Go read .... cos we have bugging this for the past 1 year since the the diesel cost shoot up rocket prices . -
fark up one lah.
eberitin oso they say. -
Poeple here , think again ....
If this scenario goes on , without up-rooting the problems now .... can u imagine the situation after the IR is completed ?
IR is 2009 .... Grand Prix ?
Singapore Flyer starts February 2008 ?
The coming numerals MICE events from 2008 ?
I am a lay-man , and i can foresee the situation , do u think the STPB and LTA don't see a problem ? I bet they're dead worried .
Face the facts , taxi is a luxury item , not just a simple term " public transport " .
Even public transport is not cheap now , and we're talking about Luxury public transport . -
Why do i has to say so much ?
I believe everything there must be a price , whether or nor u like it .
When diesel went up , bus fare and MRT fare went up , how many times ? I also lost count .
School buses fare also went up .
When crude oil prices went up , SIA implemented a Oil Surcharge as what they call it .
When crude oil went up , my PUB bill also went up ....
What never goes up ?
Answer : taxi fare !!!
Until last year , up the miserable $0.10 !
Have u got any idea how much diesel cost taxi drivers ?
We have been absorbing , just too much . It's time to stop . -
I hate to mention , when taxi is $2.40 , to $2.50 , how long duration was the diff ?
Well , i dunno .... when taxi fare started at $2.40 , that was far before 1990 3% GST was implemented , and now it's already 7% GST .....
Sad to hear still people think taxi drivers don't deserve a decent fare hike .
What will u think if your dad is a taxi driver ? -
Well , i expect $1 surcharge , which i think will not have much impact , but with $2 surcharge ..... i guarantee commuters don't need to call a cab when needed , just wait at any taxi stands , 10 minutes , will get a cab .
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why dun propose cut diesel tax instead !!
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Cut ?Originally posted by seancannot:why dun propose cut diesel tax instead !!
With those complaint going on , LTA going to implement one more tax , something like "Service Standard" tax , $25 per taxi per mth ....
Imagine , diesel tax cut ? Dream on .
LTA are going to make $540,000 a mth thru this new tax .
