When Will Thick-Skinned Lemon Limp Resign?

[makapaaa]

May 17, 2010

Taxi surcharges getting out of hand

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I REFER to your report on the taxi surcharge at Marina Bay Sands, '$3 taxi surcharge for rides from Marina Bay Sands' (May 6). The surcharges are getting out of hand and I hope the authorities can take a holistic view of the situation and come up with a more effective solution to taxi shortages, instead of leaving it to the taxi companies to freely impose surcharges at will.
The peak-hour surcharge ensures that taxi drivers disappear to change shifts just before the peak hour, so that the evening driver can enjoy the evening charges, while the day driver enjoys the morning charges.
Central business district (CBD) charges ensure that taxi drivers do not drive freely into the CBD areas unless they are dropping off passengers or have a booking.
Call booking charges mean taxi drivers don't approach taxi stands but wait for frustrated people in the queue to call for a cab.
Location charges in the heart of the city ensure that taxi drivers flock to one place that commands a surcharge and avoid a nearby location that does not earn them one.
Are we not creating more problems with the surcharge system?
I have always wondered how Hong Kong - to which Singapore has been compared time and again - can have such an efficient taxi network without the need for surcharges.
Yeo Yujin

 

[Faidenk]

Yeo Yujin is right. There are simply too many surcharges in SG.

In Hong Kong (because it is closest to us demographically), Airport charge is simply unheard of. Midnight charge? On the contrary, most cabbies accept about a 10 to 20% discount for rides after midnight.

In fact, to attract repeat business, many taxi drivers offer discounts (although illegal).



The only one reason I can think for so many surcharges in SG - vested interest.

 

[Alamaking]

In Singapore, got problems, charge more, never solve the problem 1.
More car? charge more COE
More jams? erect more gantries. Jialatz.... :(:(:(

 

[ahleebabasingaporethief]

Go and check what are the contributions of this LEMON since he took office.

Raise prices over and over and over again.

Real USELESS FARKER. Just another useless one lunning this country. Want to compare with HK? Forget it lah. They are strreeets ahead and will always be.
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[wrcboi]

if no one is losing jobs....nobody wants to solve problem...just earn more to have more bonus.....quite logic......sporns can only suffer coz so many people still cant be bothered