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Long faces over short cab rides
Separate queue at airport mooted after residents in the east tell of having to face moody taxi-drivers
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Published on Feb 26, 2012
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By Carolyn Khew And Siau Ming En
They say their quick journey home from the airport can sometimes be an unpleasant one - and the short distance has everything to do with it.
Mr Baey Yam Keng, a Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC, says he has heard of such stories from his residents: They return from a trip abroad, get into a cab at Changi Airport, and get a dour-faced cabby who thinks driving them home to areas in the east is not worth their while.
Some of these taxi drivers could have waited for as long as two hours for a fare at the airport. And a one-way trip to Tampines or the Siglap area would fetch them only $10 whereas a trip to Orchard would easily be double that.
A recent suggestion to set up a separate taxi queue at the airport for passengers who want to travel to nearby destinations was made by a resident to Mr Baey. The MP, who posted the suggestion on his Facebook, sparked a discussion on whether doing so would be effective for both passengers and drivers.
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noellow
11 minutes ago
The government is the root of all these causes. It should not have in the very first place cave in to taxi operators to scheme in the*surcharges. The first taxi operator was ComfortDelgro. Being government linked corporation and a PAP man*helming the company the government supported the scheme. It has since never stopped in introducing and implementing all kinds of surcharges.
It is not only confusing but*becoming more and more expensive. It hits both the taxi drivers and the commuters. The operators are the ultimate winners. With competition from various parties,*ComfortDelgro is feeling its cake pie has been smaller.
Is it not the duty and obligation of the government to undo its wrong doings?
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berttie
4 hours ago
Scrape all the surcharges, may be better.
reply
Seetoh Albert
5 hours ago
Be fair to the taxi drivers also. Not every taxi driver is of such personality or attitude. *What was reported above is not something new. *I did encounter frequently waiting along the taxi stand and watch drivers waved goodbye becos of "change shift"
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somethingwrongupthere
6 hours ago
Have a zone system (north, south, east, west and central) that charges a different rates that perhaps could starts with a minimum fee of $20.00 for east zone and increases for further zone areas.Pax to purchase coupons at airport counter b4 joining Q and Taxi drivers that get nearby East zone are 'fairly' compensated for their waiting time.
Such practice are quite common at airports all over the world.
hide 5 replies reply
Joan Koh
5 hours ago
Hiya, I thought that your idea was brilliant. And if I am not mistaken, I*thought*a flat zone rates are already in place? I*remembered boarding a cab with some friends after touch down*and paying a flat rate to ferry us from East To West. The meter never even started.
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Separate queue at airport mooted after residents in the east tell of having to face moody taxi-drivers
*
Published on Feb 26, 2012
*
*
6
Share
*
*
0
inShare
*
Purchase this article for republication
*
Buy SPH photos
*
*
By Carolyn Khew And Siau Ming En
They say their quick journey home from the airport can sometimes be an unpleasant one - and the short distance has everything to do with it.
Mr Baey Yam Keng, a Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC, says he has heard of such stories from his residents: They return from a trip abroad, get into a cab at Changi Airport, and get a dour-faced cabby who thinks driving them home to areas in the east is not worth their while.
Some of these taxi drivers could have waited for as long as two hours for a fare at the airport. And a one-way trip to Tampines or the Siglap area would fetch them only $10 whereas a trip to Orchard would easily be double that.
A recent suggestion to set up a separate taxi queue at the airport for passengers who want to travel to nearby destinations was made by a resident to Mr Baey. The MP, who posted the suggestion on his Facebook, sparked a discussion on whether doing so would be effective for both passengers and drivers.
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TO READ THE FULL STORY...
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NEXT STORY: When it is the wife who strays
23 - 2
Like No
Post as …
noellow
11 minutes ago
The government is the root of all these causes. It should not have in the very first place cave in to taxi operators to scheme in the*surcharges. The first taxi operator was ComfortDelgro. Being government linked corporation and a PAP man*helming the company the government supported the scheme. It has since never stopped in introducing and implementing all kinds of surcharges.
It is not only confusing but*becoming more and more expensive. It hits both the taxi drivers and the commuters. The operators are the ultimate winners. With competition from various parties,*ComfortDelgro is feeling its cake pie has been smaller.
Is it not the duty and obligation of the government to undo its wrong doings?
reply
berttie
4 hours ago
Scrape all the surcharges, may be better.
reply
Seetoh Albert
5 hours ago
Be fair to the taxi drivers also. Not every taxi driver is of such personality or attitude. *What was reported above is not something new. *I did encounter frequently waiting along the taxi stand and watch drivers waved goodbye becos of "change shift"
reply
somethingwrongupthere
6 hours ago
Have a zone system (north, south, east, west and central) that charges a different rates that perhaps could starts with a minimum fee of $20.00 for east zone and increases for further zone areas.Pax to purchase coupons at airport counter b4 joining Q and Taxi drivers that get nearby East zone are 'fairly' compensated for their waiting time.
Such practice are quite common at airports all over the world.
hide 5 replies reply
Joan Koh
5 hours ago
Hiya, I thought that your idea was brilliant. And if I am not mistaken, I*thought*a flat zone rates are already in place? I*remembered boarding a cab with some friends after touch down*and paying a flat rate to ferry us from East To West. The meter never even started.
hide 4 replies reply
Show more comments...
