A taxi driver told me that Marina Bay Sands is outside the CBD and does not attract the surcharge. Taxi drivers are not interested to pick up the passengers there. There is a long queue of people waiting for taxis. To solve this problem, the taxi companies have applied to Land Transport Authority to designate this location as subject to surcharge. The public is not happy, as the surcharge is now being extended to more areas.
We have a confusing system of taxi fares in Singapore. It may be better to follow the practice in other countries where there is a flat fare (which may be higher than the existing fares) and no surcharge for peak hours or certain locations.
A friend from Malaysia told me that he had difficulty in getting a taxi in Singapore. He had visited Singapore before, and it was easier to get a taxi many years ago. I told him that he probably tried to get a taxi during the time before the peak hour surcharge applies. It seems that many taxi drivers will disappear during this period and will reappear at the peak hour.
We should compile a list of difficult and complicated ways to do simple things in Singapore.
ReplyDeleteHere is my initial attempt to get the ball rolling:
1. Taxi fares
2. Buying a car
3. Buying an HDB lease
(legally, your HDB flat belongs to the government. What? You think the government is actually upgrading your flat/estate for free? It's you who is subsiding the estate upgrading since the estate and flat does not belong to you)
4. Our primary school textbooks and exams
5. getting a meaningful job when you are retrenched in your 40's
6. calculating the cost of constructing an HDB flat
7. listing and calculating the value of Singapore assets and reserves so that the Singapore President will know how to protect them
Quite a few times I have experienced waiting a long time for taxis at taxi stands while a few empty taxis will wait nearby. They wait for those who lose patience and call to book a taxi. Then you will see those same taxis come very fast.
ReplyDeleteThe booking fee causes taxi drivers to "game" the system. There are numerous countries where you can phone for a taxi and there is no extra charge, for example in Vietnam. Perhaps we can do the same.
It is to make it expensive anything originating from the IRs so as to discourage Singaporeans of going there lah....see how the government take care of the locals.
ReplyDeleteWhen large number of taxi drivers are doing the same things that are deemed to be undesirable, it is an obvious indication that there are problems with the system; but they are often quicker to blame the drivers! Unfortunately the more the authorities tried to "fine tune" the system, the worse it had become (真是越描越黑)!!!
ReplyDeleteThey would better learn how to KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid/Specific)!
At the moment, there is only one road that goes into the Marina Bay area and it is also the only exit.
ReplyDeleteTaxis do not like to be stuck in a jam either, so the surcharge tries to attract drivers to go in... for the sake of the tourist and image of an efficient Singapore.
This the true reason for the surcharge. Dont be fooled.
why is there a surcharge during peak hours? before you cannot find taxi. That's why the surcharge is there.
ReplyDeleteWhere there is money, there will be people who will work for it.
What will u do if you are a taxi-driver?
Cabbies have no CPF, no paid leave, no medical benefits.
ReplyDeleteThey are self-employed. They have their family to feed. It is only natural that they make full use of the system implemented by LTA and taxi companies in order to make the maximum income with lower cost.
You want your taxi fast during peak hours or in remote areas, make a phone-booking.
Actually, we should allow 50% surcharge on Sundays and Public Holidays to encourage more cabbies on the road as these are the days more people are using taxis.
Even those cabbies have no CPF, no paid leave, no medical benefits, they should not do unethical things and rip off passengers.
ReplyDeleteTo Anon 8:25
ReplyDeleteCharging more may not work.
Might price the service out of the market.. lots of taxis but no customer wants it.. too expensive.
Try selling Singtel shares at $6
The only thing that people will pay a high price for,would be COE and properties.
I would love to have Taxis charge $7 on boarding without any further charges, except for midnight.
Its too cheap at $2.80 ..
at that price, our taxi service is neither Bangkok or Manila style, and neither is it Tokyo or Frankfurt style.
Taxi rides should be a luxury and with it comes a well trained driver who speaks only when spoken to, and has good sound proofing from outside traffic noise.
The situation now is hopelessly neither 1st world or 3rd world.
We have drivers with long finger nails, sucking through their teeth to clear food debris and talking through their mobile hands free.
I rather enjoy the wild and dangerous rides in bangkok and manila or mumbai and delhi.. for the same price or less..