Errant cabbies caught


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Jason Ho

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Jan 17, 2002
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Errant cabbies caught

THE Land Transport Authority (LTA) has conducted its biggest operation to catch errant taxi drivers in the wake of public complaints against such behaviour.
In a special four-day operation last week, it snared 41 of these black sheep who tar the image of the country's 23,000 taxis plying the roads.

The blitz, from Oct 24 to 27, targeted popular or busy spots like Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Orchard Towers.

Twenty-two were caught for touting, 11 for refusing to pick up passengers, and eight for overcharging.

All the cases are being investigated and appropriate action will be taken, the LTA said in a statement on Wednesday.

It added that it will step up enforcement operations on weekdays and weekends.
Between January and September this year, LTA penalised 287 errant taxi drivers - up from last year's 202.

The LTA's blitz followed mounting media reports and readers' complaints about the increasing brazenness of a minority of cabbies who pick and choose fares, refuse to use the meter, or overcharge passengers, usually tourists.

Concerns have also been raised that such drivers will tarnish Singapore's image as a top-class tourist destination.

Such errant behaviour by taxi drivers has been a hot topic with an irate public in recent months. The Straits Times and its online portals received more than 100 complaint letters recently.

A Sunday Times report on Oct 14 highlighted the extent of the problem at the busy 'hotspots'.

Project officer David Segar, who was interviewed then, said: 'It's frustrating when cabs refuse to pick up locals, but only stop for tourists who pay ridiculous prices.' Student John Tan, 24, said a cabby quoted him $50 for the ride from Orchard Road to Bedok at 10.30pm on Tuesday night. 'I told him I am Singaporean, but he had the cheek to say he would waive the midnight surcharge, at 10.30pm!'

Source : http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest+News/Singapore/STIStory_172394.html?vgnmr=1

I have personally experienced these taxi drivers at Suntec refusing to take passengers. Some of them will ask where you are going, I encounter one who tell you $50, alot just roam around waiting for calls even though they are empty.

I feel that we are at the mercy of these taxi drivers even though they are considered as one of the public transportation options in Singapore.
 

I saw about 5 cabs hiding under the Rochor flyover, at Nicol Highway a week or 2 ago. They look like they are waiting for calls.
 

Good to have less of this. but i hardly take cabs, the last time was more than 8 months ago when it was 12 and no more trains. so have not enounter anything
 

think alot of cabbies are responsible and nice... just that some of the black sheeps have really made a very bad impression to not only foreigners but also locals... hope they learn a lesson from this incident.
 

looks like this has not deterred the errant cabbies from continuing with their practice. i saw a few cabbies going round and round with the "On Call" sign displayed. And when I tried to hail a cab for an overseas colleague this evening from around the Suntec area too, i couldn't even get through to 65521111.

ok. ok. i better not say anything against Singapore and how difficult it is getting to live here. good night folks.
 

i suspect certain conditions may have been forcing them to behave this way. The large number of errant ones sure hints there's something wrong somewhere. :confused:
 

Greed

Or

Operating costs have become higher and the management in their cozy airconditioned offices, doesn't care a f**k about the drivers who run their taxis.
 

In Taipei, Taxi wait for passenger. Pay full meter price when one get the cab from the street and discount (10~20%) when one call/book. Even meter rate is not very expensive. No all the ????? surcharges. Taxi own by driver but link to some call centre. So, NO ripe off by the taxi company. They provide namecard so that you can call them to arrange advance booking with discount. Since the own their business, they provide good service.

Sg should pick so pointers from the other countries on Taxi service. Even HK is easily to get a cab.

To fix the problem, the whole Taxi system need to revamp. Up the meter rate, stop all surcharges especially peak period and call charges. Automatic "time-zone" price adjust, instead of call/booking surcharge, they should give call/booking discount. This will stop on ON CALL problem and hiding before peak hour and midnight. Let more to own the Taxi instead of monopolize by the Taxi companies. ........... BUT then, will LTA or the Taxi companies care about all these????????????? May be extend the train and bus services too to wee hours.
 

People who made the decision do not need to take a taxi day in day out, so we can't expect them to know the pain that we are facing :dunno: A complaint merely serves as a feedback and by then any action came, the damage already been done :thumbsd:
 

The root of the problems is the rental, so high and taxi not theirs.....
 

The root of the problems is the rental, so high and taxi not theirs.....
And they don't care if there are too many taxis on the road, because more rent to collect, too many taxis on the road, more competition and lesser passengers......

HS
 

Greed

Or

Operating costs have become higher and the management in their cozy airconditioned offices, doesn't care a f**k about the drivers who run their taxis.

speaking of staff in offices...heard from a friend who recently quit his job in one of those companies...the drivers and office staff usually dun see eye to eye on things. And management? Heard its as bad. Pay? Atrocious + lots of kena arrow + sai kang. :bsmilie:
 

speaking of staff in offices...heard from a friend who recently quit his job in one of those companies...the drivers and office staff usually dun see eye to eye on things. And management? Heard its as bad. Pay? Atrocious + lots of kena arrow + sai kang. :bsmilie:

thats middle management, any top management issue?
 

Hang those errant cabbies up by their thumbs and lash them in public!

Let it be a severe warning for all those who DARE to think of even touting! :angry:
 

I have personally experienced these taxi drivers at Suntec refusing to take passengers. Some of them will ask where you are going, I encounter one who tell you $50, alot just roam around waiting for calls even though they are empty.

I feel that we are at the mercy of these taxi drivers even though they are considered as one of the public transportation options in Singapore.

i waited patiently for a good 45mins even though i'm like 5th in the row in Suntec tower 1. many many many many empty cabs roaming around, jus refuses to pick up customers. it was around 430pm. i simply had too many heavy stuff to carry to consider taking train or buses.

refusing to call cab, i patiently wait. salvation came 45mins later. :sweatsm:
 

i waited patiently for a good 45mins even though i'm like 5th in the row in Suntec tower 1. many many many many empty cabs roaming around, jus refuses to pick up customers. it was around 430pm. i simply had too many heavy stuff to carry to consider taking train or buses.

refusing to call cab, i patiently wait. salvation came 45mins later. :sweatsm:

u are a patient guy man. Wait for 45min hehe.
 

Greed

Or

Operating costs have become higher and the management in their cozy airconditioned offices, doesn't care a f**k about the drivers who run their taxis.

same thing everywhere now... decisions are made by pple sitting in the office dreaming of how things are done, for pple whom are slogging their butts off out in the heat :dunno:... better stop here :bsmilie:
 

If we can't live with the taxi drivers, there's always the option of getting a car :p.

It's human nature to push the rules and bend them if possible for self-profit.

Just like setting limits on toddlers, it's time to lay down the law on these self-serving people to stop the problem from getting worse.

Feel free to contribute ideas, who knows, one of those "office people" might stop by and implement some of these :bsmilie:

Good luck to everyone trying to grab a cab late at night at hotspots!
 

Oh my, I thought this kinda things happen only in Manila hehe.... (I'm from MNL)... But I've seen quite a few of such cabs every single day... When I wait for a bus in front of Tanjong Pagar Plaza/Amara Hotel after work, I'll see at least 2-3 cabs with green signs but will lower their windows and ask where you're going before letting you in. Once, I saw a cab slowed down, saw the monk (orange robes) then sped off...
 

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