Vexed over cash-only taxi rides
TAXI commuters are up in arms over the reluctance of cabbies to accept any form of payment besides cash, despite the option of cashless forms of payment.
Irate commuters my paper spoke to say some drivers they encountered would persuade them to use cash or simply tell them that their Nets (Network for Electronic Transfers) machines were faulty or had been switched off.
In an incident early last Sunday morning, copywriter Cheryl Tan was lectured by a cabby after she asked to pay her $18.90 fare by Nets.
The 28-year-old told my paper that the cabby threw a fit and insisted that she pay cash. She said: "He told me that if I flag down a taxi late at night, I should ask first whether I could pay by Nets, as not every driver wants to accept payment that way."
His rationale: It was the weekend and he would have the money credited into his bank account only on Monday.
She said: "He implied that customers were inconsiderate when they asked to pay by Nets."
Another passenger, Ms Jean Andrews, 29, met a cabby who told her that his Nets machine was not switched on. He then insisted that she pay cash for her fare amounting to $18.
The marketing executive had called for a cab last Saturday from her home in Seletar to head to a mall in Orchard Turn.
In her phone call to make the taxi booking, she said that she had made it clear that she wanted to pay by Nets, because she did not have enough cash on her.
Ms Andrews said: "When I asked the driver to turn on the machine, he said that he accepted only cash."
She was so annoyed that she gave him all the cash she had on her, which was $10, and got off. "There are some cabbies who will complain, scold you or play dumb," she said.
ComfortDelGro, which operates Comfort and CityCab taxis, introduced the option of fare payment by Nets in 2006. It has also enabled customers to make fare payment using major credit cards since 1995.
According to previous reports, Nets payments account for about half of the cashless transactions for the company's 15,000 cabs.
SMRT taxis are not fitted with Nets machines, but offer ez-link and credit-card payment options for almost all of its 3,000 taxis.
TransCab implemented a new device in more than 90 per cent of its taxis last month. The device accepts payment via ez-link cards as well as major credit cards.
Ms Tammy Tan, group corporate- communications officer for ComfortDelGro, said all its cabbies have been told to accept cashless payment.
There has been "a definite increase in the demand for cashless transactions on our cabs over the years", said Ms Tan. Without giving figures, she added that commuter complaints over this issue "make up a very small percentage of all complaints" received.
An SMRT spokesman said the company offers regular promotions, such as giving out fuel vouchers, to encourage drivers to accept cashless payment.
"We also educate them about the reduction in security risks for cashless payment, due to less cash being handled," she said.
A taxi driver, who wanted to be known only as Mr Png, 50, said that he accepts all kinds of payment because "it is all the same". The system is very fast, he said, and he gets his money the next day.
"The company told us it is a must to accept cashless payment, but maybe older drivers are not very receptive because they want to see the cash in their hands," he said.
Another driver, Mr Sakrudin, 47, said he prefers cash, but does not resort to persuading or tricking his customers.
"It's better because we can take it straightaway. Also, I need cash every day to pay for the daily rental of my taxi and to pump diesel."
TAXI commuters are up in arms over the reluctance of cabbies to accept any form of payment besides cash, despite the option of cashless forms of payment.
Irate commuters my paper spoke to say some drivers they encountered would persuade them to use cash or simply tell them that their Nets (Network for Electronic Transfers) machines were faulty or had been switched off.
In an incident early last Sunday morning, copywriter Cheryl Tan was lectured by a cabby after she asked to pay her $18.90 fare by Nets.
The 28-year-old told my paper that the cabby threw a fit and insisted that she pay cash. She said: "He told me that if I flag down a taxi late at night, I should ask first whether I could pay by Nets, as not every driver wants to accept payment that way."
His rationale: It was the weekend and he would have the money credited into his bank account only on Monday.
She said: "He implied that customers were inconsiderate when they asked to pay by Nets."
Another passenger, Ms Jean Andrews, 29, met a cabby who told her that his Nets machine was not switched on. He then insisted that she pay cash for her fare amounting to $18.
The marketing executive had called for a cab last Saturday from her home in Seletar to head to a mall in Orchard Turn.
In her phone call to make the taxi booking, she said that she had made it clear that she wanted to pay by Nets, because she did not have enough cash on her.
Ms Andrews said: "When I asked the driver to turn on the machine, he said that he accepted only cash."
She was so annoyed that she gave him all the cash she had on her, which was $10, and got off. "There are some cabbies who will complain, scold you or play dumb," she said.
ComfortDelGro, which operates Comfort and CityCab taxis, introduced the option of fare payment by Nets in 2006. It has also enabled customers to make fare payment using major credit cards since 1995.
According to previous reports, Nets payments account for about half of the cashless transactions for the company's 15,000 cabs.
SMRT taxis are not fitted with Nets machines, but offer ez-link and credit-card payment options for almost all of its 3,000 taxis.
TransCab implemented a new device in more than 90 per cent of its taxis last month. The device accepts payment via ez-link cards as well as major credit cards.
Ms Tammy Tan, group corporate- communications officer for ComfortDelGro, said all its cabbies have been told to accept cashless payment.
There has been "a definite increase in the demand for cashless transactions on our cabs over the years", said Ms Tan. Without giving figures, she added that commuter complaints over this issue "make up a very small percentage of all complaints" received.
An SMRT spokesman said the company offers regular promotions, such as giving out fuel vouchers, to encourage drivers to accept cashless payment.
"We also educate them about the reduction in security risks for cashless payment, due to less cash being handled," she said.
A taxi driver, who wanted to be known only as Mr Png, 50, said that he accepts all kinds of payment because "it is all the same". The system is very fast, he said, and he gets his money the next day.
"The company told us it is a must to accept cashless payment, but maybe older drivers are not very receptive because they want to see the cash in their hands," he said.
Another driver, Mr Sakrudin, 47, said he prefers cash, but does not resort to persuading or tricking his customers.
"It's better because we can take it straightaway. Also, I need cash every day to pay for the daily rental of my taxi and to pump diesel."
