Originally posted by sir_peanuts:
***Please don't move this topic to Taxis forum, I think
it's a social issue, thanks***
http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/viewPost3598.aspx
some of you may have seen this stomp post, it's about tourists not
being able to get a taxi possibly between 11pm and 12am.
now, singapore is a city that should be heavily reliant on public
transport. while taxis do not make up public transport, as contrary
to popular belief, they certainly play an important role in daily
commuting.
queues at taka or city hall area can last as long as one hour
during this magic hour of 11pm to 12am. just because taxi drivers
are waiting for the surcharge, and the government simple does
[b]nothing about it. it really reflects badly on
singapore's image as a metropolitan city, when transport becomes so
inconvenient.
it seems that taxi drivers are becoming "bigger" than government
and behave snobbishly. it's time to come down hard on them.[/b]
Staggered surchares are already introduced but of course more
could be done.
In my opinion, it's not their fault, blame the system. High taxi
rentals are also a factor and this will make the taxi driver think
of ways to earn more money.
Daily rental of a taxi if $90/day. Multiply that with 25,000 taxis.
That's over $2m a day for the four operators. Multiply that by 365
days.
Yet, taxi drivers are squeezed dry. By right, taxi companies should
take care of their drivers because they are also considered their
customers, since they rent from them. Pity the poor state of our
unions today.