Rise in ComfortDelgro taxi fares.

[Will03]

The way I (and most likely many others) see it, cabbies are not exactly happy with the rise in fares.

If the taxi company really wants to help them, they should seriously consider reducing the rental fees.

It is basically a case of
1) raise flag down fee
2) raise rental fees

We are simply increasing the profits of the taxi company by proxy of the taxi drivers.
taxi driver --> lose
passengers --> lose
taxi company --> win

yup.. as a frequent taxi user.. i have spoken to a number of taxi drivers and none seemed happy with this kind of pricing structure...

in a way .. they know best, since they are on the ones on the roads....

well.. i wish ( though i know it will never happen)
that there is a substantial drop in taxi commuters once the new pricing kicks in..
and it affects the taxi drivers' income so much , that they have to review the pricing..
haha.. i wish...

 

[contaxable]

.......

 

[night86mare]

when it comes to transport in singapore.. i really think that a monopoly works better..
no point creating competition for the sake of it.. if prices are fixed anyway...

even in perfect competition, the scenario whereby everyone is perfectly competitive and gives the market what the market values the price for.. there is going to be the same price across the board.

the difference between a monopoly and perfect competition lies in that for a competitive market, the companies TAKE prices.. (with people being realistic, of course).. whereas for a monopolist market, the company sets the price, and people suck thumb and pay (in short).

in some sense, if we put it in another way, everyone will follow each other, plainly because if they set lower or set higher.. in the first case, they will ruin themselves because they are going to make losses in the long run. in the second case, they will still ruin themselves because no one will patronise them.

i'm not exactly sure if you could consider this a perfect competition scenario, but just to point out the inherent logical errors in the statement above.

as for statements with regards to ministerial pay and don't know what gahment do this gahment do that, i will express my view point that this has nothing to do with the companies whatsoever. to be honest i think it is best to leave such unrelated discussion alone.. make everyone's life easier because no one will ever be able to see eye to eye on viewpoints regarding this area.. since there is no real right and wrong.

i am certain that this change could have been better thought through though.. it is honestly, too abrupt and looks badly structured.

 

[Old Boy]

sigh.. n i also wonder why is there a need for so many taxi companies ?
Since there is not differential in pricing.. i rather there be only one taxi company.
so that they have economies of scale if any, which results in cheaper fares hopefully.
and also makes it easier for us to complain against errant taxi drivers, cos there is only 1 number to call..
and any blacklisted driver will not be allowed to drive.. since there is only 1 company..

when it comes to transport in singapore.. i really think that a monopoly works better..
no point creating competition for the sake of it.. if prices are fixed anyway...

Call LTA to lodge the complaint for bad services regardless of which taxi company. I think this is the number : 62255582.

 

[denniskee]

1st, they say increasing the fare will improve the service. didnt happen.

then they increased the fare again.... service didnt improve.

then we complain about the service on tv show..... still never improve

than tourist complain about the service and fare on the tv news.... investigation was the result and cabby got warning, points deducted and license gets suspended..... not much improvement.

immediately, they strike back by another fare hake:think: too convenient i must say.:nono::nono:

 

[raincool2005]

do u believe ? i walked all the way home just to avoid taxi :sweat:

 

[xtemujin]

S'poreans start to feel the pinch of higher taxi fares
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 21 December 2007 2313 hrs

SINGAPORE : Five days into the taxi fare hike and it looks like commuters are beginning to show that they feel the pinch.

Like ComfortDelGro, Singapore's second largest taxi operator SMRT cabs, has also raised its fares.

Channel NewsAsia dropped in on the main taxi stands in Orchard Road on Friday, and found that the taxi demand and supply situation seems to have reversed - at least for now.

Snaking queues would usually be the norm at the popular taxi stand outside Lucky Plaza, especially during the last Friday evening before Christmas.

But surprisingly enough, as taxi after taxi came in, the long queues were gone.

Singaporean commuters were also absent.

It was the same scene further down the road.

One interesting element noticed at many of the taxi stands, including a popular one at Centrepoint, which is usually populated by a long queue of Singaporeans, was that this time, it was filled primarily by tourists.

Their comments were as follows: "I'm a tourist."; "I can't really compare because I just got here yesterday."; "We're tourists, so we don't know."

The Singaporeans Channel NewsAsia spoke to had stayed away from the taxi stands because they said they are beginning to feel the pinch.

One of them noted, "Just two days back, I went to the airport. Normally I pay S$12 from my home, (that day) it was S$16. I was surprised."

Another commented, "Taxi fares have increased, so people will not want to board taxis."

A third said, "I think more people are taking the bus and MRT..."

It was indeed a different scene at bus stops and MRT stations in the Orchard Road area.

Despite the late hour and the packages of shopping many were spotted carrying, many opted for these cheaper forms of public transport.

But many also felt it is early days yet.

Meanwhile, most are wondering if there will be a permanent drop in passengers once the immediate impact wears off, and will there finally be a more equitable demand and supply situation for taxis. - CNA/ms

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/318622/1/.html

 

[denniskee]

if this goes on long enough, public bus services and mass transit train will have another excuse to increase their fare.

win win situation for all the public transport companies.

 

[Canew]

do u believe ? i walked all the way home just to avoid taxi :sweat:

Good for you Bro. I hope that people will continue to avoid taking taxis as far as possible. But wonder how long this will last. Soon people might forget about the pay hike. Just like a frog being dipped into water that is slowly being boiled. People get used to the higher pricing/cost and feel that it is normal.

 

[Reno]

if this goes on long enough, public bus services and mass transit train will have another excuse to increase their fare.

win win situation for all the public transport companies.

Ah..... this is very true... they will say they have to increase price so as they need more vehicles and train to accommodate the crowds and to ease waiting time... Then the price of Prata and mee goreng will starts to increase again....

my mum told me a lot of products in supermarket has price increase..... and the price is like increase by 10% - 20%.... scary.....

 

[denniskee]

Ah..... this is very true... they will say they have to increase price so as they need more vehicles and train to accommodate the crowds and to ease waiting time... Then the price of Prata and mee goreng will starts to increase again....

my mum told me a lot of products in supermarket has price increase..... and the price is like increase by 10% - 20%.... scary.....

like the way they put it, have to make profit, else cannot maintain the standard of service (expenses like repair, change of new vehicle).

you see, basically they have been given indirectly the thumbs up by the big one cause we were told that we are having a good year and they deserve a good pay package.

by the way, how many are expecting a pay increment of 10%-20% this year? but before you guys go ask your bosses for that, pls remember we have to our cost down to stay competitive in the region (as we have been constantly reminded).

 

[cjtune]

by the way, how many are expecting a pay increment of 10%-20% this year? but before you guys go ask your bosses for that, pls remember we have to our cost down to stay competitive in the region (as we have been constantly reminded).

Stupid question from me: why are we still trying to be competitive on the cost front?
Don't we have any other desirable "value-added" labour skills? (OK, it can be treated as sarcasm).

 

[Virgo]

Indeed...more good years ahead...

If got $$$, then take taxi, if no $$$, then go take MRT or buses loh, where all the sardines are. As what they say, taxis are for the people with $$$, if you have no $$$, why complain?

No pinch lah...where got pinch? After another 1-2 months forget everything liao. Then go take taxi again. Next rise then complain loh... :bsmilie:

 

[anka]

i think it's more than 100%
i remember last time bugis to katong was around $7.50. i just took a few days ago. it was $18.

and airport to west coast area was $39

 

[xtemujin]

ComfortDelgro taxi drivers claim loss of earnings due to 35% surcharge
By Wong Mun Wai, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 02 January 2008 2125 hrs

SINGAPORE : At least 20 ComfortDelGro taxi drivers have said they want a return to the S$2 surcharge, instead of the new 35 percent peak hour surcharge on the metered fare.

One taxi driver even said his earnings have dropped by an average of S$50 per shift to about S$150 now - because of fewer customers.

However, others are waiting to see the full effects of the new surcharge.

Mr Azman Mohamed, who has been driving a taxi for less than a year, said there is a perception problem with the new fare structure.

Many commuters think peak hours have been changed and the 35 percent surcharge also applies on Sundays and public holidays. This is not so.

He said four out of five believe the new surcharge also applies to the whole fare, including ERP and booking fees. In reality, it applies only to the metered fare.

Mr Azman said it now takes about 30 minutes to pick up a passenger during peak periods - compared to five or 10 minutes previously.

The perceived higher cost of taking a taxi is hitting taxi drivers' earnings.

Mr Azman said, "Most of them feel that the 35 percent (surcharge) is not helping them. They are losing money and putting back the S$2 will help them. And that is also an incentive encouraging them to drive during the peak hours."

He hopes his earnings will improve when more people go back to work next week.

Comfort taxi drivers who still have the old fare chart are being given copies of the new fare chart, while new ones are being published.

The Corporate Communications Department of ComfortDelGro said it has not received any concerns about the 35 percent peak period surcharge on the metered fare from commuters or taxi drivers.

Singapore's second-largest operator, SMRT, said it has also not received any feedback on commuters confused about the new 35 percent surcharge.

However, some of its drivers have reported passengers saying it is too expensive to take a taxi.

TransCab said its drivers are experiencing a lack of passengers, but believes the problem is only temporary.

The Taxi Operators' Association, which represents the six operators here, said it has not received any feedback of the new surcharge driving customers away. - CNA/ms

 

[kitkat]

Here is the other alternative view that the taxi fares has benefit the cab drivers.

 

[zcf]

I find it's much easier to get taxi in the morning peak period than before, though I need to pay a bit more.

So I guess there are less people taking taxi in the morning in my area.

 

[xtemujin]

Well, spindoctors are in the house.

Here is the other alternative view that the taxi fares has benefit the cab drivers.

 

[asterixsg]

Well, spindoctors are in the house.

Yup, you are bang on target. That's the problem with this world - they add a spin to everything, just to confuse the issue and hide the problem.

 

[Jesmun18]

Here is the other alternative view that the taxi fares has benefit the cab drivers.

Cab company die die must said Cab driver pay increase, else how could they increase their rental...