Business is so good, they can pick and choose and make poor commuters wait
Another good reason why we should liberalise the vocational licence to Pinoy, Burmese and PRC
LTA is really a let-down
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
June 28, 2009
Taxis' 'disappearing' act
By Maria Almenoar and Wee Jun Kai
Said a coordinator at Terminal 3 who did not want to be named: 'We wave at them to come forward but some will just ignore us and stay put.' -- ST PHOTO: LIM WUI LIANG
SOME taxis are holding back from joining the queues at Changi Airport just before 5pm on weekends so that they can collect the higher surcharges which kick in after that time.
Taxi coordinators at each of the three main airport terminal taxi stands say they have noticed the flow of taxis slowing to a trickle between 4.45pm and 5pm.
Said a coordinator at Terminal 3 who did not want to be named: 'We wave at them to come forward but some will just ignore us and stay put.'
There are two coordinators at each terminal directing taxis from a waiting line into vehicle bays in front of the queues.
From 5pm to midnight on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, passengers pay an airport surcharge of $5. At other times, it is $3.
From 5pm to 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays, taxis also get a 35 per cent peak hour surcharge on top of the metered fare.
This means an average fare of $12, including the $3 airport surcharge, would become $17.15.
A Straits Times check at Terminal 2 on Sunday found the queue, at least 20-deep at any time, moving smoothly until 4.55pm.
Suddenly there were no taxis in the waiting bays and loud honking could be heard from where the line of cabs, as a number of them slowed down and started taking their time to pull into the bays.
They were overtaken by others, and by 5pm, the smooth flow of taxis was restored.
Read the full report in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.
Another good reason why we should liberalise the vocational licence to Pinoy, Burmese and PRC
LTA is really a let-down
Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
June 28, 2009
Taxis' 'disappearing' act
By Maria Almenoar and Wee Jun Kai
Said a coordinator at Terminal 3 who did not want to be named: 'We wave at them to come forward but some will just ignore us and stay put.' -- ST PHOTO: LIM WUI LIANG
SOME taxis are holding back from joining the queues at Changi Airport just before 5pm on weekends so that they can collect the higher surcharges which kick in after that time.
Taxi coordinators at each of the three main airport terminal taxi stands say they have noticed the flow of taxis slowing to a trickle between 4.45pm and 5pm.
Said a coordinator at Terminal 3 who did not want to be named: 'We wave at them to come forward but some will just ignore us and stay put.'
There are two coordinators at each terminal directing taxis from a waiting line into vehicle bays in front of the queues.
From 5pm to midnight on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, passengers pay an airport surcharge of $5. At other times, it is $3.
From 5pm to 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays, taxis also get a 35 per cent peak hour surcharge on top of the metered fare.
This means an average fare of $12, including the $3 airport surcharge, would become $17.15.
A Straits Times check at Terminal 2 on Sunday found the queue, at least 20-deep at any time, moving smoothly until 4.55pm.
Suddenly there were no taxis in the waiting bays and loud honking could be heard from where the line of cabs, as a number of them slowed down and started taking their time to pull into the bays.
They were overtaken by others, and by 5pm, the smooth flow of taxis was restored.
Read the full report in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.
