"THREE ComfortDelGro cabbies were caught on Monday evening
trying to avoid passengers, in a surprise check by the company's
officers.
Two were parked along a road when they should have been on the move
and a third did not turn into a taxi stand. They were all
apparently holding out for phone bookings that would earn them an
extra $4.
ComfortDelGro, the largest taxi operator here, carried out checks
on more than 2,600 of its cabs between 4pm and 8pm on Monday. The
vast majority did stop to pick up passengers, the company said, and
the three offending drivers have since been advised not to avoid
passengers.
The checks were a response to calls from passengers for service to
improve now that taxi companies have raised flagdown fares and the
peak period surcharge.
Smart, the last of seven cab companies to announce fare changes, is
raising its fares in line with the rest on Aug 1.
ComfortDelGro's manager for fleet admin service, Mr Lee Choo Kin,
said Monday's checks were called after complaints from the public
that cabbies were waiting until the start of the peak period at 5pm
before plying the roads.
It previously carried out checks at Suntec City as well as places
like Shenton Way and the Singapore Turf Club. In the last six
months, it has caught about 170 errant cabbies.
When The Straits Times tagged along for Monday's checks, 12
plainclothes ComfortDelGro officers were stationed near three taxi
stands around Suntec City, taking down licence numbers of empty
cabs that passed by without stopping at the taxi stands.
Mr Lee said these licence numbers would be checked against a
computer system to find out if the cabbies subsequently received a
call booking in the same area.
Errant cabbies are sent a note saying they should turn into the
taxi stand to pick up passengers. Repeat offenders are
disciplined.
The majority of ComfortDelGro's cabs have automated tamper-proof
rooftop signs. The system allows them to turn on the 'On Call' sign
only if they have received a call booking and prevents them taking
a call booking when they turn on the 'Busy' sign.
Passengers like financial analyst Serene Tan, 37, and sales
assistant Chloris Lim, 35, complain that it is hard to get a cab at
Suntec City after 8.30pm.
Said Ms Lim: 'The cabbies like to hide. A lot of office people call
for a cab.'
Passengers said one popular drivers' hideout is the area near
Benjamin Sheares Bridge. ComfortDelGro has conducted checks there,
Mr Lee said, and pointed out that cabbies could be taking a
breather there and not waiting for call bookings.
The Straits Times conducted its own check on the taxi stand near
Carrefour, between Towers Three and Four from 8.35pm to 9pm on
Monday.
More than 20 cabs from all seven taxi companies passed by the taxi
stand without stopping, even though about 10 people were waiting in
line at any one time. It took 13 minutes to get a cab.
ComfortDelGro said it does checks at all times of the day and night
and is stepping up enforcement. SMRT said it conducts random
enforcement checks at least twice a week."
(Straits Times, July 19)
With new roof-top signs, can just stand near taxi stand and
photograph taxis that fail to turn in...submit the photos and
complain to LTA...catch all errant drivers.
