redstone
Senior Member
I forgot if is busy or on call, but its a red display:embrass:
Tactics of the local cab drivers
- Thread starter leotitude79
- Start date
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I forgot if is busy or on call, but its a red display:embrass:
tis r minimum wage workers, they need any penny they can get.
things jus got a lot worse bcos the economy is restructuring, record number of cabs
on the road. their big egos of cos does not help matters.
Nothing against the TS but just want to share my thoughts...
If someone booked a cab and yet proceed to hop on another available cab...:think: what happens to the poor cabby who accepted the booking? drive to pickup point and did not see anyone, what is he going to do about his frustrations? his time, diesel and potential street pickup opportunities wasted?
No, I am not from a taxi company:bsmilie: , I also get very pissed by the disappearing acts of a lot of taxi drivers. But we have to be fair, some have bad service attitude, but are we any better off when we do this?:sweat:
If someone booked a cab and yet proceed to hop on another available cab...:think: what happens to the poor cabby who accepted the booking? drive to pickup point and did not see anyone, what is he going to do about his frustrations? his time, diesel and potential street pickup opportunities wasted? No, I am not from a taxi company:bsmilie: , I also get very pissed by the disappearing acts of a lot of taxi drivers. But we have to be fair, some have bad service attitude, but are we any better off when we do this?:sweat:
leotitude79
Member
Nothing against the TS but just want to share my thoughts...
No, I am not from a taxi company:bsmilie: , I also get very pissed by the disappearing acts of a lot of taxi drivers. But we have to be fair, some have bad service attitude, but are we any better off when we do this?:sweat:
Yes. Do agreed that some have bad service attitude. I think is the consumer trying to save some money by hoping to the available taxi although he booked a cab. But I think the basic courtesy is to call back to cancel the cab booking, as the objective of booking a cab is I need the cab fast or I dunno how long I have to wait for the next available cab to arrive. In another view, the cab is trying to maximise their daily earning which maybe or might be waiting for booking or trying stances.
Nothing against the TS but just want to share my thoughts...
No, I am not from a taxi company:bsmilie: , I also get very pissed by the disappearing acts of a lot of taxi drivers. But we have to be fair, some have bad service attitude, but are we any better off when we do this?:sweat:
A few of the taxi drivers I spoke to tell me that their company keep records of the mobile nos. of those people who book but doesn't show up. Those who commit 2 or more "no show" infractions will get a lower priority during peak period. This means if your mobile no. accumulated 2 or more infractions with them, once it showed up in the queue list, it will be given less priority. Don't know how true is this....
V
vince123123
Guest
Change the "Mr Tan" to something else...
contaxable
New Member
The cabbie situation here reflects on two things:
1. The flawed system for midnight charge (ie what goes wrong 1hr before midnight);
2. The culture that develops around it.
Few cabbies had told me the same things before:
"You think we are stupid? If people are smart to take cab just before midnight, all the more do we not want to fetch (these passengers)!"
Do you know their difficulties in getting passengers at midnight? Every cabbie is racing as if driving a wrx to be ahead of the cabbie to nap customers on the street. So, to them, 9pm to 1150pm is their chance to earn some premium while they take a break before the 1hr race. When it hits 1am, everyone is calm and kinda back to normal.
The sympathy and agony is not necessary if there is a better system.
For eg, when erp was first launched. Many cars were racing towards the finish (erp) line just to avoid paying a hike from $1 to $2.50. On the first day of erp launch, I witnessed one accident a day at the finish line - usually on the fastest lane as I believe people tend to jam their brake to check if the cash card was in place. The car behind banged onto the idiot who jam brake to double check cash card. The penalty then was $70 and was really steep. The erp system is now better with staggard increment and less of such accidents are occuring. And btw, these accidents were unreported for obvious reasons.
Perhaps the regulator should improve on the system with a staggard increment after 12am. Or perhaps, just scrape the midnight charge thingy so that the cabbies can compete with bus companies offering midnight shuttles that ate into their pie.
Perhaps, we should start walking more.
1. The flawed system for midnight charge (ie what goes wrong 1hr before midnight);
2. The culture that develops around it.
Few cabbies had told me the same things before:
"You think we are stupid? If people are smart to take cab just before midnight, all the more do we not want to fetch (these passengers)!"
Do you know their difficulties in getting passengers at midnight? Every cabbie is racing as if driving a wrx to be ahead of the cabbie to nap customers on the street. So, to them, 9pm to 1150pm is their chance to earn some premium while they take a break before the 1hr race. When it hits 1am, everyone is calm and kinda back to normal.
The sympathy and agony is not necessary if there is a better system.
For eg, when erp was first launched. Many cars were racing towards the finish (erp) line just to avoid paying a hike from $1 to $2.50. On the first day of erp launch, I witnessed one accident a day at the finish line - usually on the fastest lane as I believe people tend to jam their brake to check if the cash card was in place. The car behind banged onto the idiot who jam brake to double check cash card. The penalty then was $70 and was really steep. The erp system is now better with staggard increment and less of such accidents are occuring. And btw, these accidents were unreported for obvious reasons.
Perhaps the regulator should improve on the system with a staggard increment after 12am. Or perhaps, just scrape the midnight charge thingy so that the cabbies can compete with bus companies offering midnight shuttles that ate into their pie.
Perhaps, we should start walking more.
you want to know where some cabs are before midnight...go to the parking lot across harbourfront and seah im. last weekend i count 30 cabs in that parking lot "waiting"...and when a cab starts up, i see the on call sign light up.
cabbies are full of dewdew if you ask me. they ask me which way i want to go, then they go a different way. or, they think i am new here and take me the long way.
i really gotta ask though, when they tell me you want ecp aye, etc. etc., i think that is like a foreigner coming to hawaii (where i am from) and our cabbies asking them you want kamehameha, liholiho, kalanianeole, kawananakoa, etc. etc. seriously, would you know? if a person looks like a foreigner, why ask which way they want to go except to find if they new or not and take them the long way.
for me, i've never had one good experience with a cabbie. my poor wife was in a cab and the cab got into an accident...first thing after the accident my wife ask the cabbie if he ok, cabbies response, it's not my fault, it's his fault...not the decency or half a brain to first ask the passenger if they ok...if they wanna charge more money to ride in a new cab, then drop the fare to ride in an older one.
i tell morse road they take me mosque street. i tell telok blangah road they take me telok blangah heights, i say marina square they take me marina south. they don't listen...and really, how can cabbies not know places when to be a cabbie you have to be a singapore citizen correct?
my wife, sister in law and i call for a cab. the cab takes longer then the amount of time the operater says. we then hail a cab, get in, and call the cab company to cancel since we now got in a different cab. a cab pulls up right beside us as our cab is already driving, lowers his window and says we owe him money. mind you we are moving and this cabbie is yelling at our cabbie saying he will follow us and when we get out we will have to pay him. we ignore him and keep going then he starts yelling at my wife as we are driving! I yell at the cabbie and tell him to pull over then. i get out of my cab and he gets out of his cab and i tell him do not ever yell at my wife because not even i even do that. he points his finger on my chest saying we owe him money...bad move, i not gonna say what i did but he deserved it. we got back in our cab and our cabbie is trying to tell me not every cabbie is like that...wish i could believe him.
cabbies are full of dewdew if you ask me. they ask me which way i want to go, then they go a different way. or, they think i am new here and take me the long way.
i really gotta ask though, when they tell me you want ecp aye, etc. etc., i think that is like a foreigner coming to hawaii (where i am from) and our cabbies asking them you want kamehameha, liholiho, kalanianeole, kawananakoa, etc. etc. seriously, would you know? if a person looks like a foreigner, why ask which way they want to go except to find if they new or not and take them the long way.
for me, i've never had one good experience with a cabbie. my poor wife was in a cab and the cab got into an accident...first thing after the accident my wife ask the cabbie if he ok, cabbies response, it's not my fault, it's his fault...not the decency or half a brain to first ask the passenger if they ok...if they wanna charge more money to ride in a new cab, then drop the fare to ride in an older one.
i tell morse road they take me mosque street. i tell telok blangah road they take me telok blangah heights, i say marina square they take me marina south. they don't listen...and really, how can cabbies not know places when to be a cabbie you have to be a singapore citizen correct?
my wife, sister in law and i call for a cab. the cab takes longer then the amount of time the operater says. we then hail a cab, get in, and call the cab company to cancel since we now got in a different cab. a cab pulls up right beside us as our cab is already driving, lowers his window and says we owe him money. mind you we are moving and this cabbie is yelling at our cabbie saying he will follow us and when we get out we will have to pay him. we ignore him and keep going then he starts yelling at my wife as we are driving! I yell at the cabbie and tell him to pull over then. i get out of my cab and he gets out of his cab and i tell him do not ever yell at my wife because not even i even do that. he points his finger on my chest saying we owe him money...bad move, i not gonna say what i did but he deserved it. we got back in our cab and our cabbie is trying to tell me not every cabbie is like that...wish i could believe him.
contaxable
New Member
I do feel for you over your bad experiences with local cabbies. Usually, its better to write down license plate and report to taxi company. They will get some kinda points when the customer service determines its the fault of the cabbie. Have you notice that the new silver cabbies are not too friendly on the road? I am not sure why, but i see that as a trend.
I learnt to deal with cabbies over the past years driving on local roads. Its actually worse than New York. Using anger to deal with bullies wont make the victim happier usually. Maybe try the ignore image with flip up eyes would piss them more. (From what I heard, cabbies are taught to avoid eye contacts with the aggrevated parties on the road; it usually works).
Anyway, heres my aloha to you! :cheergal: Welcome to Singapore!
contaxable
New Member
If given a choice, I rather do hard labor. The culprit in the system is that the regulator leaves it to the taxi companies to generate as many cabbies on the road as they wish. There is no real cap and its a system were the survival of the fittest would stay on alive. Long hours shift, no over time pay, 7 workdays a week, high rental, intense competition, joint problems (occupation hazzard), kidney problems (hold urine in bladder for too long), etc. All these equate to more stress. while their primary obective is to bring rice to the table.
I may seem to be speaking on two sides of the fence, but clearly, there should be better ways to relief the cab drivers from stress. To regulate # cabs on the road?
Better stress management = safer cabbies
With the rising population (up to 6.3m?), road users will continue to feel more stressful with more cars and higher operating costs. And cabbies wont get any better.
V
vince123123
Guest
That shows life is getting tougher here. How much can you earn after paying rental, petrol, no CPF, working long hours (if you couldn't fine a relieve), 247 for most cab drivers (unless you are your own boss & drive for fun only). And so on & so forth....
Sometimes, we just need to step into people shoe to see what really happens.
Sorry, didn't read the post 2hrs before me.:embrass:
Sometimes, we just need to step into people shoe to see what really happens.
Sorry, didn't read the post 2hrs before me.:embrass:
One of the biggest mysteries in Singapore. :bigeyes:
"The Case of Disappearing Taxis (2230H - 2345H)" :bigeyes:
One sure to work solution:thumbsup: , raise the taxi fare and benchmark Japanese taxi standard:sweatsm: I am sure this would attract more qualified people who can understand foreign accent better and always provide service with a smile
I have been told recently raising income definitely helps to attract good people
I have been told recently raising income definitely helps to attract good people
How about ahpek2 Taxi driver that can speak English little little?One sure to work solution:thumbsup: , raise the taxi fare and benchmark Japanese taxi standard:sweatsm: I am sure this would attract more qualified people who can understand foreign accent better and always provide service with a smile
I have been told recently raising income definitely helps to attract good people
I thought Taxi driver in Singapore strictly for Singaporean so can help those ahpek2.
Regards,
Arto.
Huh? what do you mean?:sweatsm: are you referring to my post?
I think most of our drivers have no problem understanding local accent. The problem arises when the ah pek drivers communicate with foreigners. I have some foreign friends who pronounce "Kallang" as "Care-lang", I pity the ah pek drivers, it took me a while to understand too:bsmilie:
As far as possible, I avoid taxis unless really necessary. I'd rather walk or take the bus/mrt. I know cab drivers are people just trying to make a living too but really, they can be such a put off with these tactics of theirs. Sometimes I feel sorry for them. They must be so lonely that some are willing to blab to anybody in their cab regardless of whether the passenger is actually listening or not! I've had drivers go on a religious tirade to lamenting about the injustices done to them (poor things) and I'm too nice of a guy to tell them to shut up.
Another reason I avoid taking taxis is that nothing triggers the rage virus (ala 28 days/weeks..) in me more than waiting for a cab long time and seeing someone else blatantly plant him/herself a few metres up the road from me and stop that cab I'd been waiting to come along for! (GGgrrrRRoar!) Of course I understand that the driver has no way of knowing that I was there first. Therefore to save myself from all this grief, I avoid taxis.
Another reason I avoid taking taxis is that nothing triggers the rage virus (ala 28 days/weeks..) in me more than waiting for a cab long time and seeing someone else blatantly plant him/herself a few metres up the road from me and stop that cab I'd been waiting to come along for! (GGgrrrRRoar!) Of course I understand that the driver has no way of knowing that I was there first. Therefore to save myself from all this grief, I avoid taxis.
Yah..., if because they can't speak good English they are disqualified as taxi driver, I pity them.
Regards,
Arto.
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