Gov will work with cab Cos to simplify taxi fare struct

Ct2220 SG

[ST] Government will work with cab companies to simplify taxi fare structure

The Government will relook the taxi fare structure to make it simpler and easier to compare across cab operators, said Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo.

From January, the maximum number of new licences issued by the LTA will be linked to the operators fulfilling minimum standards relating to taxi availability during peak hours, and on the roads in general.

THE Government will relook the taxi fare structure to make it simpler and easier to compare across cab operators, said Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo.

Admitting that today's taxi fare structure is "complex and confusing for commuters", Mrs Teo said on Tuesday that the Land Transport Authority will work with the Public Transport Council and cab companies to look into retooling the fare structure.

This will take into account "the impact on taxi drivers, ultimately to have a taxi fare structure that best serves commuters' interests", Mrs Teo told Parliament.

Responding to Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Holland- Bukit Timah GRC), Mrs Teo said taxi fares were deregulated in September 1998 to allow cab operators to set their own fares to be "more responsive to market conditions".

On whether fare structures now ensure enough taxis ply on the roads, Mrs Teo said the different surcharges have been imposed to better match taxi supply with demand by giving incentives to cabbies to serve locations and time periods where demand is high.

Taxi companies are required to publicise fare revisions at least one week in advance in the media and on their websites.

Ct2220 SG

Here is the transcript of the speech made in Parliament:

Oral Reply by Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport Mrs Josephine Teo to Parliamentary Question On Taxi Fare Structure

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether the taxi fare charges can be less complex than what it is now; and

(b) whether the current fare structure has been effective in ensuring that there are adequate taxis on the roads and which are able to meet the travel needs of commuters.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether taxi companies are at liberty to impose different taxi charges for different types of taxis; (b) whether commuters are expected to scrutinise the type of taxis which they flag down before deciding to board the taxi; and

(c) how does the Ministry expect taxi commuters to be able to distinguish the different types of taxis before flagging the taxi.

Reply by Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport Mrs Josephine Teo:

Taxi fares were deregulated in September 1998 to allow taxi companies to set their own fares, so that they can be more responsive to market conditions.

The taxi fare structure has since evolved with different surcharges to better match taxi supply with demand by giving incentives to taxi drivers to serve locations and time periods where demand is high. On the other hand, the recent proliferation of different taxi fares for different types of taxis is driven largely by the different cost and therefore different rental rates for different models of taxis.

Taxi companies are required to publicise fare revisions at least one week in advance in the media and on their websites. Taxi fare information is also available on taxi stand information panels, on the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and [email protected] websites, and on fare decals in taxis.

That said, we recognise that the current taxi fare structure is complex and confusing for commuters. LTA will work with the Public Transport Council (PTC) and the taxi companies to study if and how it could be made simpler and more easily comparable across different taxi companies, taking into consideration also the impact on taxi drivers, ultimately to have a taxi fare structure that best serves commuters' interests.

Taxilim88 SG

Slowly, but surely, LTA is taking back all the control. What's next?

1. A centralised call booking system run by LTA.

2. A QoS/KPI system implemented in the MDT or another terminal by LTA so that they can directly monitor and control instead of having to rely on taxi operators to provide the data and then having to audit the data.

getcarter SG

If LTA take over gd or not ah?

taxi co shot themself in the foot again??

wsy1234 SG

one fare system for all taxi new or old. pick up start at $3 and meter jump at 0.50 Cent per 100m no surcharge and no booking fees. that is the best other than that LTA and operator will be big heads.

DriverDriver SG

what i heard is there is going to some sort of feedback-performance appraisal system by commuters, that will be tied to the meter or payouts something like that. the question is will this system be in-vehicle, like via the mdt or by live feed

Keepthechange666 SG

1st of all.....

All this MP or Ministers must first go take out a taxi and try plying the road for few days or few weeks.....

By than I will believe, they will cum out a very good solution.....

Taxilim88 SG

If LTA take over gd or not ah?

taxi co shot themself in the foot again??

Centralised call booking? Then CDG suck thumb.. All the smaller taxi co. happy.

TD? All the lau unker from TC, Silver who only sweep and never like to take booking one will lim kopi with LTA.

bowah SG

LTA fyi, had alway being in the central of everything, they are the one that set the momentum even tho they are not directly involved. So, what is centralised call booking? all these are plain wayang wayang game lah.

Like their centralise relief and hirer portal…what happen?

You see, gentlemen, let think abit deeper into the context of why today fare structure

bowah SG

How many parties are involve in taxi business

LTA, taxi companies, taxi drivers and paxs. These are major 4 parties.

So with regard to fares structure, taxi companies had told LTA to let go COE for taxis, but LTA who is also COE creator, keep increasing COEs, end up with great fluctuation at high COEs, Taxi companies buying taxis would have to pay more, and to get hirers, which is their business income, they hv to implement higher fares. And that end up with different fare structures, now…who is the culprit?

THe culprit is the LTA< the transport minister and state, and now they are going to say, we are looking into it? And that to me is self inflict problems for the benefit of profits.