Taxi fare cheats on the rise
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Some operators cite more cases of passengers dodging payment; many cabbies don't report such incidents
CABBY Teo Bak Chwee, 61, was twice unlucky last month when he encountered two fare dodgers.
In the first incident, the Prime Taxi driver drove a woman in her 20s from Carpenter Street in Boat Quay to the Singapore Institute of Management in Clementi.
With the meter reading $18.10, she said she needed to go to an ATM to withdraw money to pay him. He waited for 20 minutes, then got out of his taxi to look for her, but she was gone.
A week later, he drove another woman in her late 20s from Boon Lay Shopping Centre to Bukit Batok Avenue 2. The fare was $7. She, too, pulled the same stunt. Said Mr Teo: 'This problem is becoming more and more serious. It's a trend.'
His view may be based on only his anecdotal experience, but figures from taxi operators hint at an uptrend.
ComfortDelGro, the largest operator here with about 15,600 taxis, said its cabbies have reported an average of 166 fare cheats a month this year, compared with 134 a month in 2008. In the first half of this year, there have already been about 1,000 cases, said ComfortDelGro spokesman Tammy Tan.
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TD Bros, share yr past experience so that all can learn.
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Should install webcam in all taxis.
If transaction ok no problem, the recording can be deleted to clear disk space.
Problem, suspicious diplomats, cheating, the recording can be used as evidence.
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I would hold the women hostage and ask people to help them draw the money.
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There must be a prominent sign showing this cab is monitered by CCTV. The Camera must be in plain view, not low and between the front two seats.
The taxi plys for the public, and although it is in an enclosed space it can be considered a public place and therefore a CCTV should be ok. Just like CCTV in banks and other places that need security.
The sign will definitely act as a deterent for bad intendions, and also for misbehaviour of the pax and TD.
If a pax complain the TD horny, and the recording erased...???
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Originally posted by mancha:
There must be a prominent sign showing this cab is monitered by CCTV. The Camera must be in plain view, not low and between the front two seats.
The taxi plys for the public, and although it is in an enclosed space it can be considered a public place and therefore a CCTV should be ok. Just like CCTV in banks and other places that need security.
Good points here.
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Installing a cam is our own xtra protection juz in case... for me, my cam is in such a position that it will capture my face and partial space on my left hand side of my head.
Usually I'll s/w on the room light upon reaching destination before the pax about to pay. This will help the cam to record the event.
More impt is how we must deal and prepare to deal when such cases arise. Be firm at all times! Most of the cheats were pax claimed that they going to take cash upstairs or ATM. Do not accept their laptop bags or other form of personal item.
Just politely tell them that they are to leave either cash (as on meter) or IC or driving license.
Keeping yrself cool and alert is also vital at this juncture.
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Some of the tricks were too 'tempting'...
Pax boarded at CBD area: "Uncle, 2 places. Go Jurong West first, take my luggage and passport, then we go AP T2."
Taxi uncle: " Yes mdm". ( thinking ...wa. durain drop lor! ho sey liow, peak hr somemore.. at least $50)
Pax: "Uncle, later can you wait for about 2-3mins, my maid will bring down the luggage.
Taxi uncle: "ok, no prob" ( people got maid one, sure won't cheat)
about reaching Jur West, pax make phone call..."Mummy, can you call the maid to bring my luggage and my black jacket down to downstair in 5 mins time?" "what? she went to market? Aiya, I'm in a hurry to AP leh. ok ok la, I'll come up and take myself.."
Pax: "Sorry uncle, you dun mind wait for me, I go up and take my luggage down. 5 mins 5 mins"
Taxi uncle: "Err... ok la."
Pax: "Dun worry, my bag is here."
Reached destination, pax open door and go upstair 'take luggage'. Taxi uncle wait and wait and wait.... $50
Got it?
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My pax are most welcome to go anywhere to retrieve their money. I always retain their IC or passport. Make sure face and address match. IC must have security features present to make sure its not a fake IC. Then pax can go off and do as they please. Meanwhile I take a nap while the meter runs. So far never kenna con before.
I also got in vehicle video and audio recorder running 24/7. With IC in hand and video evidence in hand, pax cannot run.
I checked with LTA, there is no law that says I cannot have in vehicle audio video recorder. It is up to the taxi company to state their policy. So if their policy is no video like in comfort's case, then it shows the taxi company cares nothing about their own driver's welfare.
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LTA should allow driver to detain the passengers IC or passport or company ID pass if they want to get out of the taxi to get money. Now driver cannot hold on to passengers IC. The best way is to get to know the nearest police post or station and drive there and let the police to do the work. Taxi driver should make police busy in the night when they face drunk ANG MO bring them to orchard Police post no question ask if they don't pay money.
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next time i try also.........short of cash leh.......
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Susan teo , u are right , fellow taxi drivers teaching u how to cheat fellow taxi drivers .
Good one susan .
at the very first place , this article should be published at all .
trying to tell our fellow commuters that not paying fare , they can still escape . Cos taxi companies cannot do anything .
It's about "the integrity of commuters ."
Quote Jasmine , GM of TransCab .
It's for me a wtf !!!
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now the article has been shown to all readers , i closed and deleted topic also no use now .
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I suggest we follow what f1taxidriver has been doing .
For what i saw , what he did , it's the best .
Regardless of law allow us to retain or not .
I would just retain .
"If u want your ic back , come back to me with the money .
If not , then we shall talk face to face at the presence of the police officer , in the nearest police station .
I've got plenty of time ."
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I felt sad base on the article published , many of the drivers had chose to let go those issues .
I encourage all drivers not to do that .
Let put it this way .... the more u let go , the more fellow cabbies will be victimised .
The more u do not let go , the more such cases will not occurs .
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I think it also depend on the taxi driver face, if like me, fierce looking type with scars here and there, KNN, no money pay ar?? Don't come and talk cock with Uncle ok! Can wear levis jean, espirit shirt, drink $70 per jug beer, no money pay cab? I will Fcuk that pax until he call police for help and not I go call police. Pax also look at TD one lah, if TD decent type looking and soft type, sure kenna one.
Go up house to take money, ok, I go up with you, go ATM, I will also go with you. Once a guy a bit drunk, from orchard tower to Jurong west, reach said no money, need to go up take from wife, KNN can play girls but no money go home?? I followed him up, his wife open door scolded him "Everytime like this, now TD also follow to house already, paid lah!!" Then he ask his wife to pay, wife heckcare him, I fcuked him, do not make me angry, he quickly went inside and give $50, I told him including waiting and coming up here, I charge you $35, not happy, can settle now, lim pei long long never exercise already, or he can also call police. He quickly close the door without even take back the change. This type of people, you must be more fierce than them, nothing to lose, more to gain. Don't be taken in by sweet look and talk.
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Originally posted by wsy1234:
LTA should allow driver to detain the passengers IC or passport or company ID pass if they want to get out of the taxi to get money. Now driver cannot hold on to passengers IC. The best way is to get to know the nearest police post or station and drive there and let the police to do the work. Taxi driver should make police busy in the night when they face drunk ANG MO bring them to orchard Police post no question ask if they don't pay money.
hi all
i totally agree to retain their ic if not all will jus follow suit n take free rides nb...
i think the lta shld change the stupid law to protect the taxi driver. hi all, so is it illegal now if we retain pax ic when we encounter such scenario??
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Give me your ic , if you are genuine .
If u are cheater , do not want to give me your ic or driving license , pls wait for police officer to come , meter also running while waiting , u want ?
No money they should inform me before i pick them .
I let others picked them and take the risk .
I dun care one , i f*cked them until they next time take cabs also think thrice .
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Law never protect us , so we need to create law to protect us . Call 999 .
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i entertain waiting for family members bring down money ....
I do not entertain pax go up take .
Yes , i will follow like some cabbies do .
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Police only say it is illegal to keep people's IC without their permission. Of course I cannot retain your IC for no reason. But if someone agrees to allow me to keep their IC while they go retrieve their money, I do not see any wrong. Somemore the conversation was recorded. I did not snatch the pax IC from their hands. The pax willing passed it to me. All this is recorded on video. Where is the wrong?
Police also cannot retain my IC for no reason. They also cannot walk around and anyhow ask for someone's IC unless they have reason to suspect someone of committing a crime. If there is no valid reason, and there is no arrest warrant, the police will not ask for your IC. If you neither look nor dress like an illegal immigrant, and the police keep asking for your ID, perhaps it is because you do not look Singaporean. If they see me inside a cab resting, they can ask for my TVDL, but not my IC.
Take Jurong Island for example. When I have to go in, I can either pass them my IC, driving licence or TVDL. I surrendered my IC to the Jurong Island Aetos police whenever I sent passengers there. The police never told me it was illegal to keep my IC and I should provide something else.