BOOHOOHOO.

Cabbies are crying now.

Reason? Many Singaporeans are turning into boycotting the move of fare hikes in public transports. The increase in bus and train fares is bad enough, let alone those taxis.

ComfortDelGro earned almost $2.8 billion last year, with profits of over $300 million. Instead of sharing more of their profits with their drivers, they are upping their fares and trying to justify it by pointing to the plight of their drivers.

Reason for the hike?

Well the authorities are clever enough to give an excuse that the hike is to offset the cab driver's difficulties in dealing with the rise in fuel prices.

HELLO?! Taxis bloody run on DIESEL and DIESEL is dirt cheap compared to PETROL!



How drastic is the hike?

Flag down fare:

OLD

Normal taxi $2.40
Mercedes taxi $2.60

NEW

Normal taxi $2.50
Hyundai Sonata taxi $2.70
Mercedes taxi $2.80



Flag Down: $2.80 for 1st km*
1km to 10km: $0.2 for every 385m
Above 10km: $0.2 for every 330m
Waiting time: $0.2 for every 45sec


2006: Peak period surcharge from $1 to $2
2007: Peak period surcharge= $2 + 35% of meter fare
Midnight surcharge = 50% of meter fare
City area surcharge= From $1 to $3


Many have resorted to taking public transport.


I don't feel the pinch, becase I'm still schooling, but we have to look ahead, we WILL be working in future. If nth is done to eliminate this ridiculous move, the future will not be any better for us youths when we start to earn our own living and at start to regret at the end of the day.

The logic behind this is simple. The govt just doesn't want to take the CHEAPER alternative.

1) They could have just reduced the taxi rental to eliminate the rise in petrol prices. But by doing so, HOW CAN THE TAXI COMPANIES MAKE MONEY,RIGHT?


2) COE and ERP are bullshit. You need almost $2 000 just to get a driving license. You also need at least $14 000 just to get a piece of white paper that allows you to OWN a car. Then you need more money to BUY a car. Do you know that SGD $5000 can get you a decent Honda in Aussie?

They could have just introduced quotes and solve the problem of having too many cars on the roads. But by doing so, HOW CAN THE GOVT EARN MONEY, RIGHT?

It all comes down to, MONEY.


Not to say taxis alone, we drivers face the same problems too. PETROL fares increase to $2 per litre, ERP increae till $2.50 in town areas, cashcard parking rates are incredibly high, not to forget there are a lot of 'white aunties' (those who issue parking summons) going around so there's no way u can leave ur car at a public carpark for more than 15 mins. You'll be real unlucky if u do so.


Singapore is a small country with literally BIG dreams instead. See other countries raise here raise there, SG also wants to follow.

Need me to prove my point?

"With all these changes factored in, ComfortDelgro explained, peak-hour cab fares in Singapore are about the same as Hong Kong's but still only half that of Sydney's.

Local fares are also only about a quarter of London's." - Channel Newsasia


"Refering specifically to the current difficulty of getting cabs in the city during peak hours, ComfortDelgro's CEO (Taxi Business), Mr Yang Ban Seng, said: 'We think this fare revamp will better match supply and demand of taxis. Our aim is to try and ensure that more taxis will go to areas where they are needed most and at the times they are wanted most.'

Mr Nah Tua Bah, president of the Comfort Taxi Operators' Association, added: "The higher city area surcharge will act an an incentive for drivers to make that trip back into town."" - Comfort DelGro's excuse

Why don't they raise our salaries too?!?!?! Or reduce study fees so that we can cope with the fare hike in public transport?!?!

12:43 PM