Taxi Nightmares

[carlsum1986]

I got a question for taxiguy. I would appreciate it if you are able to help me out.

On saturday at around 1050pm I got into a cab with two other people at clarke quay and our destination was marina bay sands.
I saw the cab driver key in surcharge 3.50 on the meter so I asked him what was the purpose of the surcharge.
He said it was for city centre surcharge so I said ok.
After a few mins I realised the surcharge was 3.00 rather then 3.50.
So I left it at that and when we reached out destination I asked for a receipt.
The cab driver was pretty defensive and said in a very sarcastic manner whether I wanted a photo as well.
This made me suspect that he was trying to pull a fast one on me by charging me extra.
So i saw the receipt and it said 7.00 fare charge, 3.00 cbd surcharge then 0.50 surcharge.
I have no idea what is this 0.50 surcharge.

Is there an extra charge for 3 ppl taking a cab?

The Cab that you have taken should be a Silver Cab. ONLY SILVER CABS has additional $0.50 Fuel surcharge.

All other taxis does not have this FUEL SURCHARGE in place.

There is NO Extra for the third and forth Person as Singapore Taxis are allow to carry 4 people. The ONLY EXTRA PERSON charges only applies to larger cabs that takes more than 4 people.

Hope that it clear!

Thank you.

yea it is...thank u very much

[blogtowkay]

to counter the stupid taxi uncles, i always use my iphone 4 to map out the route on the map application with the GPS turned on. that helps alot when there are disputes.

[aster]

By the way, I am also a SMRT Old Style Cab which clocks around 30+ calls a month.

Thank you for your support in SMRT Taxis.

Always a pleasure, and always my #1 choice.

P.S. From the driver's perspective, what is seen as a good journey? The longer the better I assume? What about going to Changi Airport, is that good trip or a bad one from the taxi's perspective?

[m0n0chrome]

I think the good point about going to changi airport is that fetching any passenger back from there has an extra charge?

[sundaymorningstaple]

I think the good point about going to changi airport is that fetching any passenger back from there has an extra charge?

Unless the taxi que stretches all the way back to the Budget terminal turn off! Or you depart at an odd time in the wee hrs in the morning with few arrivals for them to pick up. They end up sitting with the aircon running and no fares or have to drive 15 clicks to get back to the city to find a fare.

[Saint]

I think the good point about going to changi airport is that fetching any passenger back from there has an extra charge?

Unless the taxi que stretches all the way back to the Budget terminal turn off! Or you depart at an odd time in the wee hrs in the morning with few arrivals for them to pick up. They end up sitting with the aircon running and no fares or have to drive 15 clicks to get back to the city to find a fare.

Or the taxi driver who starts cursing because he's spent ages in the queue and you only want to go to Siglap!

[BillyB]

I think the good point about going to changi airport is that fetching any passenger back from there has an extra charge?

Unless the taxi que stretches all the way back to the Budget terminal turn off! Or you depart at an odd time in the wee hrs in the morning with few arrivals for them to pick up. They end up sitting with the aircon running and no fares or have to drive 15 clicks to get back to the city to find a fare.

Or the taxi driver who starts cursing because he's spent ages in the queue and you only want to go to Siglap!

Or even between terminals! One taxi driver called my mate a very rude word because of that!!

[Asdracles]

Been there, done that...

My first flight with Air Asia, I was so "innocent" that I ask a taxi driver to go to the Budget Terminal (very last minute!) just to find that I should be in Terminal 1 instead. The airport bus was not a chance (I was late!) and the taxi driver was not so happy to drive me to T1

Of course I can understand the situation, but other times instead, there is barely queue and as soon as a taxi driver reaches there with a passenger, leaves with another one and the surcharge without waiting at all. So I guess that statistically should be fair

[aster]

CBD Surcharge starts from 5pm to 11.59pm, from Monday to Saturday. Its works also the same as the ERP collection when you enter CBD Area but only starts at 5pm.

Taxiguy, how does the CBD surcharge work if for instance your trip starts at 4:55 PM and ends at 5:05 PM?

[BillyB]

CBD Surcharge starts from 5pm to 11.59pm, from Monday to Saturday. Its works also the same as the ERP collection when you enter CBD Area but only starts at 5pm.

Taxiguy, how does the CBD surcharge work if for instance your trip starts at 4:55 PM and ends at 5:05 PM?

Aster, you reckon you'll get picked up at 4.55pm in the CBD - dream on!! They do laps to make sure it's either a booking or wait until after 5pm to add the surcharge. It's happened to me many a time going to 5pm meetings - it's near impossible to get a taxi after 4.30pm.

But to answer your question. I would have though it would be split - 50% off-peak, and 50% peak fare.

[JR8]

CBD Surcharge starts from 5pm to 11.59pm, from Monday to Saturday. Its works also the same as the ERP collection when you enter CBD Area but only starts at 5pm.

Taxiguy, how does the CBD surcharge work if for instance your trip starts at 4:55 PM and ends at 5:05 PM?

Aster, you reckon you'll get picked up at 4.55pm in the CBD - dream on!! They do laps to make sure it's either a booking or wait until after 5pm to add the surcharge. It's happened to me many a time going to 5pm meetings - it's near impossible to get a taxi after 4.30pm.

But to answer your question. I would have though it would be split - 50% off-peak, and 50% peak fare.

My thoughts precisely.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Don't think so.

[poodlek]

Compared with other cities I've been in, on the whole I've been delighted with Singapore's taxi system. My only beef is how ridiculously hard it is to get a taxi when it's raining. Any tips on that? The only time I'd take a taxi in the rain (as opposed to waiting it out) is if I really had to be somewhere, likely for my son. Having an infant in a stroller makes it quite difficult to flag a taxi, nor do I want to have him sit out in the rain while I do it. But often the dispatch won't even pick up the phone... what to do?

Under the heading "taxi nightmares" the other day as we were heading out to supper, our taxi driver started to drive away while my husband was still strapping our son's car seat in, running over his foot. My husband bawled that poor bugger out, threatening to call his employer (which I later convinced him not to) and it went on and on, each time the guy said "sorry sorry" and "I thought you were inside oreddy." Luckily no one was injured and my husbands anger eventually subsided. My question is this: what would have happened to the driver if my husband had reported him? I was worried that his punishment might be more severe than the situation warranted so I was reluctant to let him report it.

[JR8]

Don't think so.

Nah I think it is a valid point. You get taxi drivers who hover and won't pick up right before the surcharge.

It is only to be expected.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Yeah, you are right, I misread and then misread what I wrote. Guess it's because I've been running all over the board trying to clean up the piles of dung you've left everywhere. And I don't much like it.......