Taxi service lapses: 5 firms fined more than $100k
-
Taxi operators have been fined a total of more than $100,000 for failing to meet service standards between January and August.
Being unable to match at least 90 per cent of call bookings with taxis was their main shortfall; smaller taxi operators - with fewer than 1,000 taxis - must meet a target of at least 70 per cent.
Smart Taxis, which has a fleet of 714 light green taxis, was hit with the highest penalty for the period - a fine of $46,643 for not meeting service standards on 49 occasions.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) also disclosed to The Straits Times the fines dealt to four other taxi operators: ComfortDelGro ($20,465), CityCab ($6,948), Prime Taxi ($21,462) and SMRT ($7,851).
The two taxi operators that stayed free of fines were Premier Taxi, which has silver taxis, and TransCab, which has red ones.
The LTA, which does a monthly service audit of the seven taxi operators, assesses them in three areas:
- Ease of getting a taxi over the phone;
- Safety record (accident rate); and
- Number of customer complaints.
Minimum service levels have been set for each of these areas. Fines are imposed when the taxi operator falls short in any one of these areas for two months in a row.
The recent move by the largest taxi company ComfortDelGro to revise its fares from Monday, inviting speculation that the other taxi operators would follow suit, has thrown the spotlight on taxi service standards.
Commuters have complained that while fares are going up, the quality of service has not improved.
Mr Chong Kian Wee, who wrote in to The Straits Times Forum Page, complained that it is almost impossible to flag down taxis in the Shenton Way area: 'Without the threat of regulatory penalties, the taxi operators are not motivated to correct this service failure, since it does not translate to revenue or profit.'
Operators investigate complaints and discipline drivers themselves, but errant taxi drivers also have to face the LTA, which metes out its own penalties.
Under the Vocational Licence Points System, a taxi driver's licence can be revoked if he accumulates 21 or more demerit points in two years. If he chalks up six or more points, he can be suspended for up to eight weeks.
An LTA spokesman said: 'We will not hesitate to take stern action against any errant taxi driver.'
From January to the end of last month, commuters filed 432 complaints against taxi drivers. Of this number, the LTA found 158 taxi drivers guilty of the offences mentioned by complainants.
Last year, 540 complaints were filed, with 163 taxi drivers found guilty of offences such as failing to stop for commuters without good reason.
As a result of investigations and the racking up of multiple offences, 113 taxi drivers were suspended for various periods over the last two years.
Smart Taxis, which received the biggest fine, could not be reached for comment, but ComfortDelgro said it was 'disappointed' with the showing by its Comfort and CityCab taxis for the year up to August.
'Since then, we have made continuous investments in our taxi-booking system. We will continue to work with the LTA and work at improving our overall service delivery to our commuters,' it said.
Passengers with complaints about taxi drivers may call the LTA on 1800-225-5582. They should provide details such as the taxi's registration number and the date and time of the offence.
-- ST
-
Transcab and premier less call mah.
-
later pool will come n say "see ..... red gd mah~~~~"..........
-
Fined also return back later! we are paying more and more :(
-
Originally posted by komade:
later pool will come n say "see ..... red gd mah~~~~"..........
pool is a a kind of person who is very patriotic in any company he is in, because he alway believe he joined the best company, I bet that once he left red and join other, he will start to comment bad about red and all their inside bad management, just as he does to cdg now, thot he was once a best driver of sort for cdg -
Originally posted by SPO2:
Fined also return back later! we are paying more and more :(
yalor, just take out from this ministry and put it into another ministry, same coffer. Then come out with such news to tell public that yes, we do listen to you and take action, end up who suffer most? Taxi drivers lor, bet out of those suspended taxis brothers, some must be innocent who got no way to explain their causes and appeal. Like BCL said, we are at the mercy of LTA, paxs complain and taxi companies, of all these players, we taxis driver are the lambs. You can blah blah black sheep all you want, the letter alway write, the committee decision or the management decision or according to act .....you are fired, this is the final decision, we accept no more corresponding -
Originally posted by bowah:
pool is a a kind of person who is very patriotic in any company he is in, because he alway believe he joined the best company, I bet that once he left red and join other, he will start to comment bad about red and all their inside bad management, just as he does to cdg now, thot he was once a best driver of sort for cdghaha spot on
-
I completely stopped using Comfort MDT, walkie, road sweeping and queuing up liao. I waiting to see when Comfort will notice that my MDT got zero income everday and 100% call rejections. Pax book me directly, all I need is a mercedes 7 seater.
-
Originally posted by komade:
later pool will come n say "see ..... red gd mah~~~~"..........
see red good mah ..... -
Originally posted by Bo Call Liao:
haha spot on
maybe you're right to join reds too ..... CDG f*ck lar . -
but knn i not so happy TransCab never kena ....
meaning many transcab drivers took those dirty jobs disposed out by CDG .
Phui x 100000 hahahah
-
so far except for those workshop , cng kiosks , dirty toilets .....
i no complaints with Wish leh ....
Workshop servicing i got relief to go .....
Kiosk i post in forum to show how dirty , it works leh .
Dirty toilet also not so dirty ...
even heard from JLKL workshop toilet also clean up act liao .
Ok leh .... nothing to complaint so far .
CDG ? F*ck lar .... tai ko drivers si bey many ..... cut in cut out , tai ko .
Company suka suka terminate drivers , cheyyyyyyyyy ! F*ck lar .
-
surprised Citycab also kena ....
i see Citycab differently , their drivers better than blue , hey i am serious .
I rather drive a Citycab .
-
All not important , most important why CDG failed in their so strong booking ?
Must analyse ...
Now i know why Lake View recently come in many Comfort & Citycab drivers .
I agar agar can see those blur images liao ....
-
I think they failed because they just got too many apps , so convenient to use , and caused those failure to fulfill those requirements .
They created their own downfall .
Your head that big only , dun wear a big hat ..... dun match .
-
Can we dispute TransCab so far not the best for drivers and for commuters ?
Base on 2011 http://sgforums.com/forums/3426/topics/443097 QOS report ....
And this report .....
I think we deserved it .
I said "we" .....
The rest of my fellow Wish counterparts .....
Poolman's followers .hahahahaha
-
But i wanna highlight .....
Many said Comfort & Citycab , same lah ......
I repeat , Comfort & Citycab are different !
Base on this report ...... are you convinced they are different in terms of booking despatching and their data collecting system ?
Yes Citycab have better treatments , hahahahahah
Up to you to believe .
-
Driving a transcab i feel more relaxed , when i was CDG , knn everywhere i go muz look out for enforcement , take call also must hide in dark alley. scared pax complain this and that.
What i really miss abt driving for CDG are the calls. Although 50%of destinations are rubbish but at least its still $ and my running mileage is usually low coz i camp out anywhere in singapore. Other than that , there is nothing good about this company.
Transcab i gotta drive like fark , go Jurong bo kang tao , go tampines bo kangtao except airport , go here go there no call. WTF.
And also i still do not understand why pax are still skipping Transcab in favour of the CDG. why huh?
must laminate this report and show them la .
-
Originally posted by Bo Call Liao:
And also i still do not understand why pax are still skipping Transcab in favour of the CDG. why huh?
must laminate this report and show them la .
Damn funny , some people at ORQ , during midnight , they actually wave the E-voucher show me , hahahahaha i move on .It's ok with me .
Some skip TransCab because they have to use UOB atm card , which most TransCab cabs dun take , except Epica .
-
I take it as , ur lost of not taking my cab , not my gain , hahahahahahah
-
I usually more relax now with people taking taxi behind me ....
But i cannot tahan infront taxi point them to the back take my cab , knn i hated it .
BCL knew me ... u remember Kranji that fucker Citycab point to the back ? And got fuck from me ?
-
Originally posted by Bo Call Liao:
except airport , go here go there no call. WTF.
And also i still do not understand why pax are still skipping Transcab in favour of the CDG. why huh?
must laminate this report and show them la .
Changi North, Loyang Lane, Cres....etc...
all using CDG cashless transactions...
Remember you did some Loyang Cres jobs for me be4 ?
KNN... that's how they (CDG) networking is still the best in town...
-
Do you want to know why SMART taxi kena fined alot? Coz not all taxis got radio and some of the taxis are driven by super relief.
-
ehhh premier TD's calls are free you know. They dun charge the drivers.
-
TransCab passed their booking standard , because they also practise putting "destination" when needed .
That is what it matter , right bo ?
At Tuas around 4pm , so many TransCab calls with destinations .
But si bei sianz see liao ..... Jurong Point .... West Coast .... Joo Koon MRT ... Pioneer MRT .... Teban Gardens .
See liao buay steam .