SOME of Mr
Toh Cheng Seong's suggestions ("How taxis can be viable alternative
to private cars"; Forum Online, last Saturday) may not work in
Singapore.
Exempting
taxis from the certificate of entitlement (COE) and Electronic Road
Pricing (ERP) systems defeats the Government's objective of
managing road usage.
Although
taxis are considered public transport, each carries only up to four
passengers, while a bus carries about 40.
Passing the
COE and ERP cost savings to taxi commuters may lead people to shun
other forms of public transport in favour of cabs.
And if the
timing for changing shifts is adjusted, it would affect how taxi
hirers and their relief drivers split rental costs. Also, there may
be limited take-up for taxi pooling as some people may not like
sharing a cab with strangers.
Paying
fixed salaries to cabbies might decrease productivity. After all,
why should a cabby work harder if he is a salaried worker? Even
with the current rental system, the Land Transport Authority had to
set service standards requiring 70 per cent of each operator's
fleet to clock at least 250km a day because some cabbies refuse to
drive for long hours.
Francis Cheng
Dear,
Is ah toh and ah francis taxi drivers?
Outsiders, especially paxs will alway have a strong said on Taxi
driving, because at the end of the day, they are not plying the
road, they are not the hirer and they certainly not the one meeting
up with problem in regard to taxi driving, be it paxs or road or
LTA summons and so on. Of course, talking is easy lah, same like
eating, but shitting can be quite difficult at times.
So, cut the bull about COE and ERP stuff, because, hirer are
already paying for it, to cut it, what will happen, alots of us
will feel shortchanged. Our govt is not stupid, they are very good,
especially in chopping its people.
And as far as taxi drivers is concern, is there an issue? except
for higher rental, what is the issue that need to be resolve, just
drive and if tire, rest, happy pick, not happy, let them rot.
