New taxi thread

[GSM8]

As heavy as I travel, particularly on the return journey back to Singapore, I don't expect a taxi driver to lift my bags.

I always proceed to load my own bags too, but usually the taxi driver does take the initiative to assist. And if he doesn't, I look at loading luggage as a bit of exercise after being cooped up in a flight

[GSM8]

t;] Its still 1/4 the price of a taxi in London, NYC or Tokyo

You get 'cost of living index' yah? Or do you think a taxi here in Hicksvilleapore should cost the same as in Oslo or Zurich?

No I think Oslo and Zurich should cost the same as Singapore
But seriously, the outrageous cab fares in some of the other cities you mentioned have less to do with the taxi drivers take-home income, and more to do with inefficiency of systems beset with either licenses/quotas (e.g. NYC medallions) or simply lower usage rates (meaning cabbies get less paying fares a day)

[Girl_Next_Door]

I have used Uber a couple of times, but am not super impressed. It still takes a while (20-30 mins) for the car to arrive and I used it because I can't get a cab via other routes (Tibs, Comfort, Grab, Easy, Trans).

I am not sure if I am the only one facing this issue, but recently (in the recent 2-3 months), cab drivers have got a lot fussier about picking up their passengers.

In the past, there would be the odd cab driver who insist on heading to Jurong or Tampinese, probably due to shift change. Recently, almost every cab fall in one of the following categories:
1) Picking passengers only if they are going to their desired destinations. I had been in situtations whereby I am first on the queue, and literally 10 cabs stopped, asking which direction I am heading, and drove away because its not in their direction. I noticed a lot of their area is city / chinatown area.
2) Cabs who have dropped passengers and suddenly turned "busy" while waiting near my office building. It seems like they are waiting for people to book a cab instead of picking passengers in a taxi queue.

Anyone else noticed this?

[sundaymorningstaple]

GND, this has been happening for well over 15 years now. In fact, shortly after they created the booking fees and raised them to a point to where if become profitable.

[rajagainstthemachine]

I have noticed the "busy" condition, and there is no one in the cab, initially I used to mistake it for a hired cab, but on closer inspection a seemingly "busy" cab picks up a passenger if the passenger and the cabbie are headed for the same direction.
This seemingly "busy" fellow will also be ready if the trip is to the airport.

In most countries around the world, cabs are usually begging passengers to get in, here in Singapore,people are at the cabbies mercy.

[Girl_Next_Door]

GND, this has been happening for well over 15 years now. In fact, shortly after they created the booking fees and raised them to a point to where if become profitable.

This has been going on, randomly for the past years, but in recent months, it just seems to have gone beyond norm. It's almost impossible to flag a taxi off the street and booking a cab doesn't often guarantee a cab as well.

[the lynx]

I've been using UberX, the cheaper, non-limo version of Uber. While the availability of the UberX cars are not significantly better than regular taxi, it is significantly cheaper than one if you take it during peak hours and after midnight, as they do not have peak-hour and location surcharge and though their per-km rate is slightly higher, the total cost is actually cheaper than regular cabs.

UberX was the first to provide driver's mobile number so that you could contact directly. After that, Comfort Delgro and SMRT followed suit.

So I use UberX during hard-to-get-a-regular-taxi hours like shift-change, rainy days, airport runs and after midnight.

UberX account is linked to your credit card and your receipt is emailed to you after each ride. Your fare is quoted on estimated basis before you choose to accept the ride (you can even view where your potential drivers are before you book) and it is finalised after the ride. And it can submit ride summary if you intend to submit for claim from your company.



If anyone is interested, here's my invitation code 9r4sd.

[bgd]

I'm a very reluctant taxi user and really only use them as a last resort. Which is just as well as I have terrible trouble getting any taxi using the online apps, to such a point a friend observed that I appear to be blacklisted.

[Arsenal_fan]

Taxi drivers who use the booking app from Grab Taxi or Easy Taxi are not allowed by the companies to display "on call", they put up the Busy sign instead. Also have heard that comfort does not allow its drivers to print the call charges on the receipt if they use grab or easy.

Grab has also a limo service like uber priced at 50$ to anywhere in SG (think night rates are higher). Have not tried the limo service, have a offer for 20$ off the first ride.

The missus and I take the cab often in the morning to work and we have noticed a trend that its quite difficult to get a cab when we club the 2 destinations (outram + changi business park). one of the taxi drivers mentioned that maybe the drivers prefer to stay in the cbd for the surcharges.

[Brah]

I felt compelled to reply to this

As heavy as I travel, particularly on the return journey back to Singapore, I don't expect a taxi driver to lift my bags. He a driver, not a baggage ape.

I don't think of them or treat them as such, but basic humanity dictates it's something you do to help someone, and, it's not a reach for it to be a part of their role. As I said, I always assist and dno't expect them to lift it themselves any more than I think I should have to lift it all myself.

They never seem to here. It's all up to you.
And yet then you get to other countries, and you're almost embargoed from touching your own luggage, as drivers take it upon themselves to manhandle it (a very US thing actually, come to think of it, then they want a tip, even when you REALLY didn't want their ''''help''''...!

I was really surprised when at Newark Airport, the "Sky Captain" guys aggressively tried to get me to have them do whatever they do. What a racket, they probably intimidate a lot of tourists into using their services.

Even if I didn't always deal with my luggage once it's out of the taxi, once I saw that attitude I was like, f--k off to that.

But taxi drivers in the States always seem to try to either help with or completely do the luggage, as do more than half of the ones here.

Its still 1/4 the price of a taxi in London, NYC or Tokyo

You get 'cost of living index' yah? Or do you think a taxi here in Hicksvilleapore should cost the same as in Oslo or Zurich?

good point

[rajagainstthemachine]

Nearly every cabbie in Sydney has grabbed the suitcase off my hands, and usually they are an extremely friendly lot.
I remember in the past many sg cabbies were chatty, but now they all seem really grumpy.

[Brah]

Nearly every cabbie in Sydney has grabbed the suitcase off my hands, and usually they are an extremely friendly lot.
I remember in the past many sg cabbies were chatty, but now they all seem really grumpy.

The ones that had me as a fare at least....

Jokes aside, I also noticed this - I thought it was me, as if I'm not in the mood, and often I'm not, I bristle at idiotic banter or getting interviewed on where I'm from every time I get in a cab. So I would put my earphones one and pretend I was on a call. A bit antisocial that.....

[Beeroclock]

GND, this has been happening for well over 15 years now. In fact, shortly after they created the booking fees and raised them to a point to where if become profitable.

This has been going on, randomly for the past years, but in recent months, it just seems to have gone beyond norm. It's almost impossible to flag a taxi off the street and booking a cab doesn't often guarantee a cab as well.

take down their license plate or better a quick photo and report them. If you tell them you are reporting to LTA they might change their mind and take you. They're not allowed to pick and choose passengers at a taxi stand. I have reported a guy when he really annoyed me by leaving us there (with 2 young infants in irritable mode) and after laughing off my threat to report him. So it's first thing I did when I arrived home. LTA will investigate and driver can be fined and suspended for 2 weeks if you are willing to testify. In my case I was not, so the driver got off with a warning from LTA which I hope is enough to make him think twice about doing it again......

[rajagainstthemachine]

Nearly every cabbie in Sydney has grabbed the suitcase off my hands, and usually they are an extremely friendly lot.
I remember in the past many sg cabbies were chatty, but now they all seem really grumpy.

The ones that had me as a fare at least....

Jokes aside, I also noticed this - I thought it was me, as if I'm not in the mood, and often I'm not, I bristle at idiotic banter or getting interviewed on where I'm from every time I get in a cab. So I would put my earphones one and pretend I was on a call. A bit antisocial that.....

lol@the interviews , but on a side note, its hilarious to see so many of them vent their anger at the gahmen, one guy got into an uncontrollable rage once, me and this other colleague from work a Jordanian were baffled and we listened to his tirade in silence for the next 15 minutes or so.

[triste]

I haven't tried Uber yet but am keen to hear more, a friend has and had good things to say.

Another taxi-related topic or rant I have is something that doesn't happen often, but happened recently.

Coming back from the airport, luggage in car, the driver stood there as if it was going to load itself. I always help the driver but wait for him to make the first move, otherwise quite often they will let you do it. I always tip per bag.

When he watched me waiting for him to help and just stood there, I said something like "whose job is this anyway", and he said that they weren't supposed to load the luggage.

So I'd like to hear what others have to say about that. Then I'll tell you what kind of tip they get for this approach.

I have never had a taxi uncle not help me load the trunk at the airport, but it wouldn't bother me if they didn't. I don't consider it the taxi driver's job, but it seems to be their preference at Changi IME. I have occasionally had help from a driver after a large grocery shopping trip as well, but I also don't consider that their responsibility.