Taxis in Singapore: Pray, is paying the only way?

[krafty]

some drivers dun waste time and chiong back to CBD to pick up passengers. Others find that it's not worthwhile to go back CBD with empty cab. The $3 surcharge is there to appeal to drivers to go into CBD and to compensate on the diesel cost.
nite time after 9pm in Yew Tee,very unlikely, you will get passengers going to town, most probably around CCK area.
It depends whether driver is tired or not, some may take the opportunity to rest at taxi stands.

But if most of the passengers are waiting for taxis in the city, wouldn't it make more sense for the taxis to go back to the city to pick up fares rather than wait at taxi stands or cruise around the housing estates where there are no passengers? Unless you are saying that there are sufficient passengers outside the city at this time for it to be worthwhile to do so.

 

[Spock]

some drivers dun waste time and chiong back to CBD to pick up passengers. Others find that it's not worthwhile to go back CBD with empty cab. The $3 surcharge is there to appeal to drivers to go into CBD and to compensate on the diesel cost.
nite time after 9pm in Yew Tee,very unlikely, you will get passengers going to town, most probably around CCK area.
It depends whether driver is tired or not, some may take the opportunity to rest at taxi stands.

But if it is almost 100% certain that you will be able to pick someone up again in the city, wouldn't the fare more than cover the cost of the diesel? Taking a fare of say $10, assuming there is no surcharge. My theory is that the taxi drivers are colluding to force the passengers to call for a taxi, thus making it 100% certain and earning the extra call surcharge as well. If not, why is there no lack of taxis after midnight in the city?

 

[alvin36]

3k shld not be a problem for this kind of driving hours,.

Yes I agree.... 3k net cash is not a problem for driving 10 hr a day, for a full time hirer of a taxi. Meaning he has to manage his own time, manage his own rest days, and share his taxi with another driver. Not forgetting if he fall sick.. medical and insurance is at his own risk. Plus CPF contribution on his own. This are other important consideration for a full time taxi driver.

I have a frd , who drive only partime. He drive on 12 hours on Friday night and Saturday night (8pm-8am). According to him.. for 24 hours of work. His net earning is $400-$500

 

[alvin36]

Not only just Taxis that we need pay to get things done.

Everything problem in singapore can be solved by paying, ie.:
- road congestion =pay ERP
- Better bus service =pay more
- more frequent MRT intervals=pay more
- use more utlilities = pay more
- want bid COE = pay more
- want 'incorruptable' politicians = pay more
- etc etc etc

We paying top salaries to world top 30 politicians to solve our problems by making us pay more. that is why the party is named Pay And Pay.

Appropriate party name !!

- want 'incorruptable' politicians = pay them until they say ENOUGH

 

[krafty]

do you expect ah pek to drive up and down to and from city just to pick up passengers,some find it too tiring. No surcharge and $10 fare, travelling up and down already taken up abt $5, driver make $5 out of the 10,you think worth it or not? Rental leh? Diesel cost leh?

There is no lack of taxis after midnite cos of the midnite charge. You think too complicated liao! drivers never collude with one another to force passengers to call for cabs, drivers are simple minded pple,they will not resort to something like this.

But if it is almost 100% certain that you will be able to pick someone up again in the city, wouldn't the fare more than cover the cost of the diesel? Taking a fare of say $10, assuming there is no surcharge. My theory is that the taxi drivers are colluding to force the passengers to call for a taxi, thus making it 100% certain and earning the extra call surcharge as well. If not, why is there no lack of taxis after midnight in the city?

 

[singveld]

abolish midnight charge
other countries do not have it
why singapore have to be special

 

[Spock]

do you expect ah pek to drive up and down to and from city just to pick up passengers,some find it too tiring. No surcharge and $10 fare, travelling up and down already taken up abt $5, driver make $5 out of the 10,you think worth it or not? Rental leh? Diesel cost leh?

There is no lack of taxis after midnite cos of the midnite charge. You think too complicated liao! drivers never collude with one another to force passengers to call for cabs, drivers are simple minded pple,they will not resort to something like this.

Well, if taxi drivers would rather earn $0 waiting or cruising around than making another trip into the city to earn $5 and helping those who need a taxi during peak times, doesn't it prove that taxi drivers are earning enough and thus require no sympathy from commuters? Mind you, you are simply sitting behind the wheel, not asking you to run to and from the city and how big is Singapore anyway. No doubt it can be tiring but it can't be considered torturous by any stretch of the imagination.

Statements like these make me very sceptical taxi drivers deserve any empathy from me whenever they start complaining.

 

[krafty]

Young man,why dun you go and drive before you start whining abt empathy? A lot of fuck up pple like to complain cos' they dun know what's like behind the wheels for a definite no. of hours.

Well, if taxi drivers would rather earn $0 waiting or cruising around than making another trip into the city to earn $5 and helping those who need a taxi during peak times, doesn't it prove that taxi drivers are earning enough and thus require no sympathy from commuters? Mind you, you are simply sitting behind the wheel, not asking you to run to and fro the city. No doubt it can be tiring but it can't be considered torturous by any stretch of the imagination.

Statements like these make me very sceptical taxi drivers deserve any empathy from me whenever they start complaining.

 

[Spock]

Young man,why dun you go and drive before you start whining abt empathy? A lot of fuck up pple like to complain cos' they dun know what's like behind the wheels for a definite no. of hours.

You are assuming I am younger than you. Typical of Singapore taxi drivers. They think the whole world owes them a living just because they feel they have the worst jobs driving taxis. I believe a lot of taxi drivers are simply losers who can't find better uses for their skills and thus, hold this grudge in their hearts. Of course, not every taxi driver behaves this way.

Before you start complaining about it being tough driving a taxi, why don't you embrace your job and make it a calling to provide the best service you can to your customers? You can start by not trying to hide somewhere during peak times or before midnight and waiting for the calls to come in or for the surcharges to kick in. It is easy to see the number of empty cabs cruising by in the city during peak times while long lines of frustrated commuters wait at taxi stands.

 

[SIFU]

Young man,why dun you go and drive before you start whining abt empathy? A lot of fuck up pple like to complain cos' they dun know what's like behind the wheels for a definite no. of hours.

u r that guy that keep whining about getting fined for littering.

 

[krafty]

hee...hee...just guessing that you must be a young man, you won't understand how I was humiliated when one passenger threw $5 at me,cannot do anything cos' she is a lady,i think she was having her period. It's till sore even for 2 years already.

But I think you all have to be fair to the drivers,i know there are black sheeps in the midst.

For frustrated customers waiting in long queue, I suggest the above proposition of abolishing certain rules. It's not I want to defend taxi drivers but I ever witness driver kanna heart attack and died on the spot, very pitiful to die like that...

You are assuming I am younger than you. Typical of Singapore taxi drivers. They think the whole world owes them a living just because they feel they have the worst jobs driving taxis. I believe a lot of taxi drivers are simply losers who can't find better uses for their skills and thus, hold this grudge in their hearts. Of course, not every taxi driver behaves this way.

Before you start complaining about it being tough driving a taxi, why don't you embrace your job and make it a calling to provide the best service you can to your customers? You can start by not trying to hide somewhere during peak times or before midnight and waiting for the calls to come in or for the surcharges to kick in. It is easy to see the number of empty cabs cruising by in the city during peak times while long lines of frustrated commuters wait at taxi stands.

 

[RumLee]

Frankly, it may not be SHT's fault. I give you a take on a typical tuesday nite, if you end up sending passenger to places like Yew Tee,you will probably end up driving back to city area to pick up new passengers again.

LTA set this $3 rule cos they know without this incentive,very unlikely, taxis will go back to city area to pick up. They will end up queuing at nearest taxi stand or crusing ard the housing estate.
What will happen to others who are waiting for cabs in city area?

whether you are minister or any tom,dick and harry,if you want to comment on taxi issues, you better go drive for at least 6 months,then you will know.

Your are contradicting yourself. You said that if cabbie drives to Yew tee, he will have to drive back to city area again. Then why do we need surcharge in city area if this is the case

 

[STUCK_HERE]

I am driving nite shift,part time now.

Hi Krafty,

Night shift is 6pm to 6am? I wanna be a relief too. How much you pay ha? 50%?

 

[jw5]

But if it is almost 100% certain that you will be able to pick someone up again in the city, wouldn't the fare more than cover the cost of the diesel? Taking a fare of say $10, assuming there is no surcharge. My theory is that the taxi drivers are colluding to force the passengers to call for a taxi, thus making it 100% certain and earning the extra call surcharge as well. If not, why is there no lack of taxis after midnight in the city?

Perhaps they are not as brilliant as you, wiseass.

 

[krafty]

simi lan jiao?

Your are contradicting yourself. You said that if cabbie drives to Yew tee, he will have to drive back to city area again. Then why do we need surcharge in city area if this is the case

 

[RumLee]

Assuming you are a taxi driver, If you pick up a passenger from city area who wants to go to yew tee. After sending that passenger to yew tee, will you come back to city area again or just hang around in yew tee area?

If you do come back to city area, why?

This may be out of your league if you are not a taxi driver or just a choosy taxi driver who travels from city area to yew tee area, but this is my question.

What do you think of taxi drivers who queue up for hours at changi airport just because of the surcharge there and get pissed off just because the passenger they picked up is a local who stays nearby?

 

[RumLee]

do you expect ah pek to drive up and down to and from city just to pick up passengers,some find it too tiring. No surcharge and $10 fare, travelling up and down already taken up abt $5, driver make $5 out of the 10,you think worth it or not? Rental leh? Diesel cost leh?

So $3 surcharge in city makes it worth it for ah pek taxi drivers to travel from yew tee to city! If the surcharge is cut, all ah peks will hang around in yew tee waiting for midnight charge before coming into city again.