A shameful taxi system

[EADG]

Thought I’d get a workout in, pick a few things up at Carrefour, then head home and have an early night.

So there I was, at Suntec, a place Singapore can be prooud of, with scores of others in taxi queues extending into the building. 9:45. I’m a patient guy, I have a new magazine, I’ll stick it out.

10:10, the line has not moved. It’s hot. No taxis in sight. Except the red-lighted ones, who pull in, creep by like dogs checking a for a tree to spray, and pick no one up. I call - busy. Call another – disconnected. Repeat for ~10 minutes.

10:25 – I get through, am on hold for ~4 minutes, then, wait for a taxi. No taxis. Call another – busy. Call another – get through, but on hold. For ~4 minutes. Then, no taxi.

10:45 – get though, got a taxi, 10:55, taxi arrives.

I know, I know, it’s all a part of being here, and yeah, it’s probably worse, say, in the Philippines, maybe Laos.

Sorry Singapore if I expect just a little more out of you. I’m sure the families, tourists, and other business people waiting to get home do too.

[EADG]

I got more on this, this system that seems engineered in favor of the taxi companies and drivers and at the customer’s expense.

Let's see how this works:

Many people need taxis at 8:30am, 8pm, 10pm, midnight – times like that.

Taxi drivers seem have shift changes at: 8pm, 10pm. Many say they eat at 10pm, 11pm.

Extra charges kick in at 8:00am, 8:30am, 5pm, 11:30, then again at 00:00. The cost of calling a taxi during these times is now $4.

Try finding a ‘green’ taxi at 8:30am-9:00am, 7:40pm-8:15pm, 9:30pm-10:15pm, 11:15pm-11:59pm, maybe other times as well.

How many taxis do they brag about there being in the country on the message when you get put on hold?

[Saint]

Have you only just realised this cab driver scam, you will never get a cab just before the fare increase times. They are also either "on call" or parked up on the road side. They also know you will eventually get fed up with trying to hail a cab and will call for one!

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

When I was in a cast and could not drive the 4:30pm 'shift change' used to drive me insane. I believe that is the unofficial start of rush hour since it makes the lines artificially long when the work day ends. Ridiculous.

[Bonbon]

hahah I absolutely agree.........it is such a torture to call a cab here!

believe or not for me, I have learnt , walking back home from say raffles/orchard probably takes equally as long as to call a cab, wait for a cab, then get the cab moving!

you pay higher rent for renting a place around city area , but save the hassle of getting the bloody cab, with all the sweats and swearings hahahah

[dot dot dot]

[EADG]

sorry, still on the soapbox, what with the "elections" still fresh...

this going-off-shift ruse is not much different than the maids-are-not-entitled-to-a-day-off-each-week hypocrisy, that the taxi companies and drivers are allowed to act in this way is a know and permitted scam

and yes, a lucrative scam at that

Singapore, the IMF / World Bank is in town soon, and with it, tens of thousands of the world's leaders, and most of 'em will be right there at Suntec! don't miss the opportunity to improve on this tired phenomenon of your unique taxi and government systems

[dot dot dot]

[EADG]

then technially it will be only all of us in taxi queues who will the >4 people congregating for a cause.....

[EADG]

Now that would be something, police beating up the ones queuing for a cab, as it is considered a mass demonstration...

exactly.

OMG, I think we just had a McMoment!

[tiki]

It's funny here...

I think its considered an illegal gathering if a certain number of people are seen hanging out, outside of a conventional and accepted place to do so that is.

Well not everyone can afford coffee at starbucks so might I suggest..

hang out in taxi queues.

[Matney]

Just curious, just how often is there a shift change? Reading EADG's message listing the times there and it made me wonder.
I'm often waiting on Patterson Road at 5 and have waited for an hour, but it is always shift changing then as well. It would seem that this a peak period as is 9-10 p.m. so where are all the taxis? Waiting at 6:45 a.m. they are all taking their own kids to school or on call. Is that also a shift change problem, too?

[riversandlakes]

I've encountered a few times that cabs would happily swoosh by ignoring you at 1600+. I asked a cabbie once and he said shift-change was at 1630...

[tiki]

Opposite Suntec City, think it's called Millenia Walk...

taxis have been known to form in queues and lie in wait till the 'appropriate' time. Usually, they tend to only respond to calls and most times would prefer to only ply withint the area.

Once along Shenton Way at around 10 pm, I was waiting for taxis and I spotted one. He had an on-call sign and was at the side of the road.

After waiting for almost 20 minutes, I decided to approach the cab. he didn't want to take me because of the localtion of my destination. Plus he said he was waiting for a passenger.

I reasoned that he had been there for almost close to half hour and usually he can cancel the booking and move on.

He became rather hostile and accuse me of being too 'smart'. I asked him to show me the booking. I told him if it was for real he had one, then there would be a record. on the display unit.

At that moment he started to panic a little.

It is an offence for a cab to display booking signs if they do not have any.

In the end he drove me home and it was one of the most pleasant journey.

There are lots of honest cabbies but don't let the dodgy ones take you for a ride.

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

then there is that ridiculous 5km long midnight queue at the airport...