Nets payment.
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Thu, Oct 14, 2010
my paper
Taxi drivers refuse to accept Nets payment By Joy Fang
TAXI commuters are up in arms over the reluctance of cabbies to accept any form of payment besides cash, despite the option of cashless forms of payment.
Irate commuters my paper spoke to say some drivers they encountered would persuade them to use cash or simply tell them that their Nets (Network for Electronic Transfers) machines were faulty or had been switched off.
In an incident early last Sunday morning, copywriter Cheryl Tan was lectured by a cabby after she asked to pay her $18.90 fare by Nets.
The 28-year-old told my paper that the cabby threw a fit and insisted that she pay cash. She said: "He told me that if I flag down a taxi late at night, I should ask first whether I could pay by Nets, as not every driver wants to accept payment that way."
His rationale: It was the weekend and he would have the money credited into his bank account only on Monday.
She said: "He implied that customers were inconsiderate when they asked to pay by Nets."
Another passenger, Ms Jean Andrews, 29, met a cabby who told her that his Nets machine was not switched on. He then insisted that she pay cash for her fare amounting to $18.
The marketing executive had called for a cab last Saturday from her home in Seletar to head to a mall in Orchard Turn.
In her phone call to make the taxi booking, she said that she had made it clear that she wanted to pay by Nets, because she did not have enough cash on her.
Ms Andrews said: "When I asked the driver to turn on the machine, he said that he accepted only cash."
She was so annoyed that she gave him all the cash she had on her, which was $10, and got off. "There are some cabbies who will complain, scold you or play dumb," she said.
ComfortDelGro, which operates Comfort and CityCab taxis, introduced the option of fare payment by Nets in 2006. It has also enabled customers to make fare payment using major credit cards since 1995.
According to previous reports, Nets payments account for about half of the cashless transactions for the company's 15,000 cabs.
SMRT taxis are not fitted with Nets machines, but offer ez-link and credit-card payment options for almost all of its 3,000 taxis.
TransCab implemented a new device in more than 90 per cent of its taxis last month. The device accepts payment via ez-link cards as well as major credit cards.
Ms Tammy Tan, group corporate- communications officer for ComfortDelGro, said all its cabbies have been told to accept cashless payment.
There has been "a definite increase in the demand for cashless transactions on our cabs over the years", said Ms Tan. Without giving figures, she added that commuter complaints over this issue "make up a very small percentage of all complaints" received.
An SMRT spokesman said the company offers regular promotions, such as giving out fuel vouchers, to encourage drivers to accept cashless payment.
"We also educate them about the reduction in security risks for cashless payment, due to less cash being handled," she said.
A taxi driver, who wanted to be known only as Mr Png, 50, said that he accepts all kinds of payment because "it is all the same". The system is very fast, he said, and he gets his money the next day.
"The company told us it is a must to accept cashless payment, but maybe older drivers are not very receptive because they want to see the cash in their hands," he said.
Another driver, Mr Sakrudin, 47, said he prefers cash, but does not resort to persuading or tricking his customers.
"It's better because we can take it straightaway. Also, I need cash every day to pay for the daily rental of my taxi and to pump diesel."
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This bastard CDG's call centre now dont even bother to reflect paying by NETS or not.I can say out of 5 nets payment i receive , all do not have the BY NETS on the job detail.
Everything also wanna save , destination save , payment mode save sometimes even contact number also dont have. ccb take in so many jobs for wad? cant even handle the volume . and majority of the calls are sibeh farked up one.
i really pity those old cdg drivers who take calls , numerous times i kena Uncle , Jurong east , Amk then tampines. imagine the poor old man have to drive like fuck ? legs soft , hand soft. CDG where got bother abt driver one??
So if not prepared to take nets , wad for drive for CDG? best option is SMART... what fark also dont have.
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I never use nets before. Never, find it troublesome, pay cash is easiler. Also make sure wallet have coins in case fare is xx.10 to 40 cents...at least you have the coins. If no small cash or coins, I will take public transport.
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me accepts anything... nets, credit card, foreign currency even... haha but cdg cashless system hangs at times... stressful... at pick up, some paxs ask can pay by nets? now can la... later on the way system down dun know blame who...
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If bopian, no cash, really need to take cab, before take one, must ask whether accepts nets or not, and told the cab not much money left in the wallet. To let the driver know before hand. You good I good in this way.
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"uncle , got nets ?"
" u go where ?"
"woodland uncle "
" sorry take behind comfort ."
Next pax plsssssssssss......
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0003hr ....
Pax : "Uncle , got nets ?"
Uncle Poolman : " Go where ?"
Pax : " Uncle , 3 place , Simei , Sengkang, woodlands ."
Uncle Poolman : " Yes sure , come ."
Uncle Poolman : " Now which Trans-Can dun have ? sure can , anthing also can , ezlink can , debit card can , visa can , master can , amex also can , jcb , diners , u name it , all can !!! Go where first ? Woodlands ?"
Pax : " Anywhere u think it's fastest , we waited one hour ."
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2000hr .... Wisma taxi stand
Pax : " Uncle can pay by nets ."
Uncle me : " U go where ?"
Pax : " Jurong East st 13 ."
Uncle me : " Can come , take my cab first , later no taxi . On the way we go atm tititi , u save $0.30 ."
Pax : " Ok lor , not wasting your time hor ."
Uncle me : " No lah , help you save money is my duty ."
If go Yishun : " Sorry take behind citycab ."
Here you go .
Nets ...... aiyo best !!!
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yes of course.. cash is king... cash is cheaper better faster..
I also try pay by cash unless really no more cash liao >> faster get out of cab, the cabbie also faster find next passenger..
just like you go pump petrol.. someone pay cash within 30secs can leave liao.. the card customer still waiting for his purchase to dial through... -
How about e-voucher?
Do td happy to rec it also?
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all the cashless modes, hand to mouth cabbies sure dun like... i dun like cos unreliable system makes me stressed...
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To be honest, I like taking cashless payment, especially since CDG's reporting makes it very easy to track which payment is refunded and which payment is still outstanding. Maybe it's because I'm not the hirer of the taxi I'm driving, hence I don't feel the pressure of needing to have cash in the bank for CDG to deduct.
The only problem I have with cashless payment is that sometimes, even though I'm able to swipe the customer's card and display the details, then "Processing..." message takes too long and then end up Time Out. Happens a few times already and end up customers have to pay by cash.
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In my opinion, taxi companies should provide more centres for cabbies to collect their NETS payment, instead of just 1 (correct me if i am wrong).
I think cabbies would be more willing to aceept cash then.... -
you see?
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There are many occasions, when end of trips, pax asked to pay by Nets for a fare that is only $4.80 or less than $10. Knn, i will say no NETS.
What happen? Open Wallet, many pieces of $10 notes, $2 notes, $5 notes.....Lan Lan pay by cash. Young or Old, angmo, kor, jap, local or the same....like the farking NETS.
Some Pax after sit inside my CAB, start moving and HIRED already pressed. Halfway thru : "Uncle can use NET" ?..... Me will answer "No" and start grandfather grandmother explanation why we Cabyy prefer CASH. If possible, pay by Cash or i drive you to ATM machine and don't charge you the waiting time when ATM.....
KNN-- Lanlan pay by cash and most of this people still have cash.
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Sometime, if it is genuine no Cash type, then at least okay to try the machine lah....
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Uhhh.....probably i know why NET....because of NTUC LINK POINT.......POSB rebate point.....whatever point.....
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Once i got one taxi uncle wants me to pay in nets, cos he don't have change...
I don't think nets is totally bad .
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Originally posted by RotaryEngine:
Uhhh.....probably i know why NET....because of NTUC LINK POINT.......POSB rebate point.....whatever point.....
Not worth the 30 cents extra to get the stingy POSB rebate or linkpoints....
I believe some wanted convenience.... Dun wan the change in coins you see....
And also some people dun wanna go ATM later... so everything can NETS, NETS.
POSB/DBS atm very long queue everytime...
Anyway these days those below 40 dun usually have cash on them... everything oso card.... Having $30 in the wallet is like A LOT these days...