As Above , continue from the old thread. ..

http://www.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=222042

After having supper with a friend along a coffeeshop in South Bridge Road about 10.15pm last night, I decided to take a cab home. I crossed the road to Cross Street as there are people waiting on both sides of South Bridge Road, not mentioning the taxi stand outside the Indian Temple which have a small queue. I waited along Cross Street for 30 minutes but still cannot managed to flag a cab. With people streaming out of the pubs along Club Street in groups and standing ahead of me within 10 meters and faking that they cannot see me adds flame to my frustration as I was tired after a long day and wants to get home for an early rest.

During this 30 minutes, I notice several cabs with 'blue light' on the car roof indicating available but with 'On Call' plate on the windscreen passing by. This really makes me wonder if the taxi drivers are taking advantage of the cab booking system to earn the extra dollar through phone booking. In the end, I walked to the entrance of a condominium along Club Street and flagged a cab that just dropped off a resident there. By then, its alrealdy 11pm.

I know that its the long wait for taxi that fueled me to write here, but I know I am not the only person out there who faces this frustration. I know those people who works in the CBD area, who can only get cab by booking when they finish work as they will almost never be able to flag a cab off the street during the period of 6.30pm-8pm.

Why are we at mercy of our own public transport system? Might as well make it a flat rate for flagging on the road and booking(excluding advance booking) but increase the starting meter to say $3. So taxi drivers do not play hide and seek just to earn that extra dollar through phone booking system. What if a tourist would be to wait for cab for a long time and they do not know the phone booking number?

Rant end.

Why don’t you just book a cab instead of waiting for one?

LTA implemented a "Booking " service point demerit system , so Taxi company must comply with the regulation , or face with demerit points and subsequently got fine ! All LTA's fault .

Without this booking service standard system , taxi company won't do their best to force cabbies to earn extra dollars thru their booking system . Now they're making all ways to meet LTA demand on bookings quotas .

Taxi companies can always set a higher flag down and solve alot of problems with complaints .

I would be happy not to take any booking if the flag down is always $2.50 + $2 peak period surcharge ..... ie go up a taxi $4.50 .

Now with the peak hour $2 surcharge up to 7.59pm , commuters has got no problems at this time .

But after 8pm , when there's no surcharge , communters fly to flag a taxi home .... when a surge like that happens , the demand goes up , the supply went down , then price will go up .... like share market !!!

well , it's all commuters fault also afterall , it's them who make taxi like indispensable in public transport .

My advice : when there's a $2 surcharge , don't wait , grap a taxi and go ... don't wait til after 8pm , just to save $2 , you might end up paying $4 for booking a cab home .

i that time need go somewhere urgently. then wait cab for around 50 mins +. change waiting place 2 times. later got 1 family come. they stand further than me and is on my left hand sight. the taxi come from right hand side and stop for them. wa, i at that point of time my head blank ready. so i started to scold the taxi driver. he deserve it.

Not really a complaint..But I made the stupidest mistake today..I was at Rivervale Mall's taxi stand and I wanted to go to Hougang Plaza in a rush to meet my friend..the time on my watch was 9.29am..just nice a Merc E200 NGT drove in, and I thought: "Hmm..might as well take it, since I haven't had a try in a CNG Merc cab."

So I hopped on..and just after the driver switch on the metre, the truth struck me like a bullet..there was the $2.00 peak hour surcharge..I forgot the peak hour surcharge is until 9.30am..if I had waited a little longer at the taxi stand I could have saved 2 bucks..I can't believe I worked at comfort before and I forgot about it..and coupled with the fact that the flag down rate of the CNG Mercs is 3 bucks, this made for a very expensive taxi ride..total fare: $6.40..oh wow..if I was just a few minutes late, the fare could have been $4.40..dammit..

Last year i got a event in Orchard Road. While my event end i got my things ready to sent back to my office, there are two containers boxes and a trolley....then i was queing up in taka to queue for a cab. As the same always got alot of ppl queing. Then ok my turn liao....i forgot about the cab company from which one liao....if i not wrong is silvercab....he gives me and my friend a one kind stare. He knew its heavy and he didnt come out and help us with the things. Cos he see us cant bring up the things then he no choice have to come out and help us....then he still gave a one kind face and grumble say cannot squeeze in la....and blah blah....i never say i wan all the things to squeeze in his gold cab..mah......still give the kind of fucking face see until i like wan to slap his face.....then i shout back saying i will take another one to put the remaining things.....haiz...what kind of service is that....."just puttin a smile to me saying the things cant all squeeze in one cab will do mah...."

Already feel so tired liao then still must face this type of person......i hope the cab company can at least give those cabbies a lesson on the basic customer service before they start to drive on the road.

the extra charge from booking should go to the taxi company and not the taxi driver. Or rather, the taxi driver should be given very little. that way, they dont earn extra and will have no incentive to wait for bookings.

Same for the extra peak hour charge. So that demand remains constant, but the supply will actually be there.

Originally posted by OO_OO_OO:

the extra charge from booking should go to the taxi company and not the taxi driver. Or rather, the taxi driver should be given very little. that way, they dont earn extra and will have no incentive to wait for bookings.

Same for the extra peak hour charge. So that demand remains constant, but the supply will actually be there.

Cabbies no extra charge for bookings , then there'll be lesser taxis on the road , cos nobody would want to drive a taxi !!!

We drive a taxi for money , if there's a chance to earn extra , we would !

Originally posted by OO_OO_OO:

the extra charge from booking should go to the taxi company and not the taxi driver. Or rather, the taxi driver should be given very little. that way, they dont earn extra and will have no incentive to wait for bookings.

Same for the extra peak hour charge. So that demand remains constant, but the supply will actually be there.

Taxi company take all $4.00 charge ? Then they'll be in trouble , cos i for one , would not DO things for free !!

2nd , taxi company will failed the bookings requirement set by LTA , and got fined !

3rd , no extra booking , means no revenue , no revenue means no money , no money means the Control Centre operators many would lose their jobs ..... cos no business .

Sounds logically to you ?

Originally posted by OO_OO_OO:

Same for the extra peak hour charge. So that demand remains constant, but the supply will actually be there.[/b]

If there's no $2.00 extra charge for peak hour , u'll get more problems getting a cab , cos not only u can afford a taxi , many many more thousands of people can afford .

Sounds logically again ?

Let me explain : This $2 charge is implemented because datas obtain by surveyors indictated that during the peak hour period , due to the "cheap" taxi fare , many took taxis unnecessarily instead of taking a bus /mrt .... that caused many who really need it , can't be able to get one ....

Who r the people who really need it ? Those going to airport , those going for meetings and business trips ..... and the most important , Comfort's corporate customers can get a cab . This corporate customers is those people who make cabbies , Comfort cabbies possible to survive as a cabby .

Increased $2 make many changed their travelling habits , from taking taxis to taking buses / mrt or even bought a car .

Then those who need a cab , instead of booking a taxi ($4) , now can get a normal (extra $2) taxi at the taxi stand . They save $2 !

So which is better ?

Sounds logically to u ???

We should take a leaf out of other taxi company's books..Some companies do not allow passengers to hail for a cab along the road..Instead everybody just calls for a cab..there's no booking fee in this way, and everyone is guaranteed a cab..

i was in my colleague's car sometime last week when an idiotic taxi driver of SMRT Taxis, apparently tailgating a lorry and got impatient, suddenly changed lane all of a sudden without even looking whether there's any oncoming vehicle from other lanes or blindspot. luckily my colleague was driving fairly slowly along the outer lane and managed to apply emergency brake on time to avoid this taxi.

I was on SHB 9214K on the way home from Changi Airport (pick up point was at the Arrival Hall Terminal 1) with my parents yesterday.

Shortly after leaving Changi Airport for home, while on the expressway, I noticed that the 'seatbelt' sign was on on the dashboard. Then I looked a little bit to my right and to my horror, saw that the taxi driver did not fasten his seatbelt!

How safe would you think this is?

the ERP is there to keep taxi away from CBD. the booking system is there
for those to call when they need a taxi into the CBD. dont blame the taxi
driver, blame the govt.

singapore taxi club www.taxiuncle.com

i take cab every day, except weekends unless i hangout late

experienced alot of stuffs

1) Blind driver
This happened for quite some time.
The traffic is comin on my right. Im standin, flaggin for oncomin cabs.
So there comes a cab, of course i flagged it, BUT WHAT?

That driver drives pass me and i was thinkin wtf. There isnt anyone beside me what. Then i look to my left, that blind cab driver actually stop for somebody who have just pop out from nowhere and stop in front of him. I was very angry of course as i've waited for a long time, say at least 30minutes.


2) U-turn, dont care if you're the first person to flag or stand there as long as i (cab driver) see any passengers appear in front of me i'd take
Happened many times.

The traffic is comin on the right. The road is a 2-way lanes, and only 1 path for each lane.

So i notice a cab opposite me. I flagged it, he noticed, and signalled that he will do a u-turn to get me.

But what he do. He drives a little forward (this is because there are some passin cars that is from my right so he drives a little forward, waitin for the cars on my side to clear to have an easy u-turn), ok then he U-turn, but he stop and pick up the person who is in front of me (as in the person on my right).

And the person wasnt there in the first place, but suddenly appear! I was frustrated of course, and started to curse both of them as i've waited for some time.

I mean, im the one who flagged it and signalled to you first that im boardin, but how can you do this.
I actually ask some of the drivers regardin this matter and they told me such acts are wrong. They shouldnt do this. I know. But what can i do

So if there're any cab drivers here, do you do this?
as in dont care who flagged or signalled to you first, as long as you see any target you just stop for them.

I am losing faith in our public transport system....

1. MRT over crowded...need to wait at least 3 - 4 trains to pass by before i can squeeze into one of the car.

2. Bus takes 4ever to come...if not too pack board or got to stand all the way while the bus snake thru the routes before reach my destination

3. Taxi.. no need to say more..

Seriously, is the govt forcing me to buy car to earn erp revenues???

There was one incident a few weeks back, where my colleagues and I were having lunch.. As we left the hawker centre for our office, we saw 1 auntie in her 50s with a big basket of stuff she bought from the market flagging for a taxi in the car park. She wasn't walking very well. The driver refused to pick up the passenger and instead drove up another 5 metres to one of my colleague, who was walking slower than us, and asked her if she needed a taxi. Any taxi driver who thinks that this is ok, please explain why this is accepted. I agree that the taxi driver has the right to reject picking up passengers who have pets around. Please give me a reason (a good one) on why the driver has the right not to pick up that auntie. All the things she bought were packed properly and inside a big basket. Unless they are telling us that dead chicken meat bought from the market is considered a pet? Or that she is not walking fast enough and that would delay his "precious" time to pick up other passengers? I wrote to to Comfort to complain and the response given was that the driver is given a warning. How serious is the impact of the warning? Taxi drivers, please advice. And remember to give your reason to support that taxi driver if you think that that taxi driver did the right thing.

Other than the usual sudden stop sudden turns by taxis, recently I encountered a taxi driver who complained to me about him getting summons for stopping at a busstop...

Story goes:
I was waiting for someone at the passenger drop-off point, and subsequently the front part of the taxi stand cos there was space in front...
BTW its at Bishan MRT there...

Then up comes a taxi behind me...Cabby comes out and complains to me that he got a summon because people like me are blocking the taxi stands...And thus forcing him to go to the busstop to wait for passengers...
I admit I was at fault for occupying their taxi stands...But there was nobody behind me and he could have waited behind me...

Then while he was complaining, I saw a couple of taxis 'chiong' to the busstop to get customers and no taxi came to the stand...Apparently the taxis went to the busstop so they can get customers easier...
After he got his message across, he also chiong to the busstop and wait for customers...

So, was it my fault for his summons? I would feel that its only 30% of my fault...Cos if the taxi stands were to fill up, the other taxis would also wait at the busstop...

This above just applies to one taxi driver and not all...

today i was waiting at a taxi stand in Shenton Way at abt 4pm to travel to Upp Sgoon. a taxi came by and the driver asked me where I was going. after telling him my destination, he paused a while and said ok.

in the taxi, i pretended and asked him if he was changing shift. he said its not and he will turn down requests to go to faraway places like Jurong.

how can this taxi driver behave like that? still wanna choose customer?

I also heard of taxi drivers' face turning black when pax from Changi Airport wants to go to nearby places only like Pasir Ris. How to give tourists a good impression of Spore?

Originally posted by SBS3688Y:

today i was waiting at a taxi stand in Shenton Way at abt 4pm to travel to Upp Sgoon. a taxi came by and the driver asked me where I was going. after telling him my destination, he paused a while and said ok.

in the taxi, i pretended and asked him if he was changing shift. he said its not and he will turn down requests to go to faraway places like Jurong.

how can this taxi driver behave like that? still wanna choose customer?

I also heard of taxi drivers' face turning black when pax from Changi Airport wants to go to nearby places only like Pasir Ris. How to give tourists a good impression of Spore?

Do u know why Shangri-La & Ritz Carlton service so bloody good ? Cos their room is about $300 a day .

U go Hotel 81 , do u expect Ritz Carlton type of service ?

I am not saying yours particular case , just the taxi pricing in Spore .

I also believe , taxi fare too low to deserve absolute service , limited yes .

Originally posted by SBS3688Y:

today i was waiting at a taxi stand in Shenton Way at abt 4pm to travel to Upp Sgoon. a taxi came by and the driver asked me where I was going. after telling him my destination, he paused a while and said ok.

in the taxi, i pretended and asked him if he was changing shift. he said its not and he will turn down requests to go to faraway places like Jurong.

how can this taxi driver behave like that? still wanna choose customer?

I also heard of taxi drivers' face turning black when pax from Changi Airport wants to go to nearby places only like Pasir Ris. How to give tourists a good impression of Spore?

Did you encounter this kinda situation often??
If not, quit complaining!

Originally posted by bluenuts:

Did you encounter this kinda situation often??
If not, quit complaining!

I think it is important to highlight such behaviors.
Don't have to wait for it to happen to us several times before bringing it up.
Anybody knows whether there is any organization focused on improving taxi driver's professionalism?

[quote]Originally posted by SBS3688Y:
[b]today i was waiting at a taxi stand in Shenton Way at abt 4pm to travel to Upp Sgoon. a taxi came by and the driver asked me where I was going. after telling him my destination, he paused a while and said ok.

in the taxi, i pretended and asked him if he was changing shift. he said its not and he will turn down requests to go to faraway places like Jurong.

how can this taxi driver behave like that? still wanna choose customer?

For your scenario , maybe the driver has something on or changing shift? He may not need to tell you that he is changing shift , judging from what he says you should know. Or maybe there is a heavy jam in the west at that time & thats why he rejects it.