JING WEN: My two cents worth on this whole taxi surge pricing thing, now that the LTA has given taxi companies to go-ahead to introduce this new means of ripping off commuters.
The purpose of surge pricing is to regulate demand by introducing higher fees during peak hours. Right now, taxi companies have already introduced a “peak hour” fee. So with the addition of surge pricing, isn’t this a double-charge?
Uber and Grab are no angels. We have seen how their surge pricing can jump by 4x to 22x during peak hours. Seeing how the taxi industry is pegging its fare structure to such companies, are we commuters going to expect the same kind of surge, in addition to peak hour charges, midnight surcharge, and all other charges already levied by taxi firms in their complex fee structure?
Second Transport Minister Ng Chee Meng says commuters” may be uncomfortable” with the introduction of this new surge pricing scheme. Of course we’re uncomfortable. For years the taxi industry has only found more and more ways to milk us while providing the same standard of service. Please don’t fool us with talk of fleet upgrading and all that. That is the duty of the company to ensure its taxis on the road are up and running.
Taxis are a “luxury” option to public transport and granted as a free-market economy the government cannot be expected to legislate prices of private companies like Comfort or SMRT. But as commuters we can boycott taxis and their surge pricing to show these taxi firms the power of the free-market economy, that we’re not fools, and that we reject their continuous efforts to make us pay more for the same damn service. We need to show them that who’s boss.
Thanks Jing Wen for this letter.
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Anonymous
March 20, 2017 at 10:32 pm
Dnt blame taxi co go n blame d government laa they r d one who made all dis mess by allowing grab n uber to be to here in d 1st place…if u consumer dnt support private car all dis things will nt happen dis is wat ur vote for..sporean becoming more cialat.
Anonymous
March 20, 2017 at 11:28 pm
Don’t blame on taxi drivers.. Who are the ones allows this.. Think again before pointing fingers
CJ Loh
March 21, 2017 at 10:00 am
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/grab-may-take-10-cut-from-cabbies-for-dynamic-pricing?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&xtor=CS1-10#link_time=1489808823
Still think Taxi drivers are benefiting from this?
Tham
March 21, 2017 at 10:40 am
My dear fren, no point complaining. Singapore is a free economy n market. U have a choice. Pls do what u say, boycott, dun take taxi. Can afford, by all means, cannot afford, take bus, mrt and walk. Hope i dun see a booking by the name of Jing Wen a few weeks down the road. Pls show us you are the boss. As i always say, bus n train fare go up by 10c, all kpkb. Starbucks $7 coffee nobody kpkb. Hope u can start a blog or something that shows ur daily commute. Show us u mean what u say. But i guarantee, give you max 2 weeks tops, u will flag one, cos bookibg fee $3.30 can buy some milk. Cheers. Have a nice day.
Anonymous
March 21, 2017 at 5:00 pm
Hmmm .. I thought this is what commuters like mah.. you all like grab and uber way of pricing .. so now taxi follow as commuters wish Lor .. this taxi surge is good .. now commuters can not jump back to taxi when grab and uber surge their price .. no more taking advantage of taxi only when grab and uber surge ..
kelvin
March 21, 2017 at 8:35 pm
When grab and uber fare is $5 for any destination,, you don’t complain?
When the fare is so cheap in the night with no midnight charge, ,you don’t complain?
When taxi follow grab and uber with surge pricing ,you complain.
Power la
Anonymous
March 21, 2017 at 10:16 pm
You asshole
As it is the taxi drivers are strugling with competition from Uber and Grab. Now u ask the public to boycott taxis. Will u prostitute your family to feed these drivers. The pappies r increasing everything. If u got d balls challenge them. Not the taxi drivers. Because of u like minded goonies we r in this situation.
Anonymous
March 21, 2017 at 10:22 pm
What boycott I think you cannot afford to take taxi .. please turn yourself to bus, MRT and walk. Don’t KPKB here.. u/g surge 4X commuters no make noise. Now taxi follow u/g you all make noise.. what is this.. I strongly suggest you take MRT.. leave us alone
Raj
March 22, 2017 at 2:59 am
By all means plz boycott,but b4 tat think again if u guyz had boycott grab n uber tis won’t b happening. So plz think b4 u post.