Booking a taxi pickup from a taxi stand?

[Northcote]

(I ask this question more out of interest than actually planning to do it and p*ssing a lot of ppl off)

We're relatively new to Singapore but the large queues at taxi stands hasn't gone unnoticed (particularly at Ikea).

My question is, can you book your own cab to pick you up from the taxi stand (and skip the queue)? Given the length of some taxi stand queues and the easy of booking through phone apps, the $3 booking fee would be well worth it.

I'm very interest to know why this doesn't happen more, be it for etiquette, regulations or just plain tight a$$ reasons.

[x9200]

It happens all the time. Very very common practice. I am surprised you have not noticed it. You will not p* o* anybody this way.

[The Ref]

At least at places I go.

Many taxi ranks are filled with people on their phones trying to book a cab. Some places it works, others you get to the front of the line quickly enough not to need it.
Out of the way places like MBFC and Turf City it is the only way to go.

Note: MBFC and ORQ in peak hour have a mass of cabs waiting around the corner for the extra booking fee rather than going to the actual rank.

[Strong Eagle]

It happens all the time. Very very common practice. I am surprised you have not noticed it. You will not p* o* anybody this way.

The only people you will piss off are the tourists who don't know you can do this.

[x9200]

It is common and some suppose to be practice to that extent that in many popular locations the cab companies placed labels/signs with short codes/location numbers to help speed dialing.

[JR8]

Why not. The taxi co will SMS you 'Cab arrived' + the registration plate #, and simultaneously a cab with it's 'Booked' light on will arrive.

[zzm9980]

It happens all the time. Very very common practice. I am surprised you have not noticed it. You will not p* o* anybody this way.

The only people you will piss off are the tourists who don't know you can do this.

And locals who will complain that it is so expensive to do that, and they don;'t make enough to afford such a thing since ang moh took their jobs.

[sundaymorningstaple]

THAT!

[Brah]

In the words of David Letterman, The Shame Of The City...

That one actually has to call a cab from a cab stand.
That cabbies take breaks all at the same time and at peak hours.
That they game the system waiting for the peak hour charges.
The obvious tricks they use* to have the meter flip before they press the button.

*
- drive a little further than necessary
- the hesitation before pressing it (watch the various methods employed!)
- "forgetting" to press it

The Shame Of The City.

[movingtospore]

Tip: Other than in far-flung places like Ikea -when you are downtown, Orchard, etc - and you see a big taxi queue - just walk around the corner, or to the nearest hotel. Usually you can flag one pretty easily. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a huge line up at Ion, Takashamiya etc - and I've just walked a block or too and flagged one easily. Why the locals stand in line for an hour rather than walking around and looking for a taxi is beyond me.

Not in the pouring rain tho'. They all run and hide then (the taxis I mean).