Cab Fare Fair?

Comfort taxi fares up from 17 Dec

COME next Monday, prepare to for out as much as 49% more in taxi fares, now that ComfortDelgro has unveiled its 'overhaul' of the current taxi fare structure.

This follows what it says was an 'in-depth review of the taxi industry to address commuters' concerns, simplify the fare structure and encourage call bookings 'to better match the demand and supply of taxis'.

Lesson learnt: Never complain too much.

City Area Surcharge
$1 to $3 from 5pm to midnight from Mon to Sat
To incentivize more cabbies to ply the Central business District during peak hours
The company noted the lack of taxis in the city at the end of office hours on weekday evenings is a frequent complaint from passengers.

Lesson learnt: Again, never complain too much.

For drivers who are afraid of paying ERP charges to enter the city and risk not getting a passenger, ComfortDelgro says it will even pay an ‘ERP rebate' to cabbies who cannot land a passenger within 15 mins of entering an ERP zone.

Now why wasn’t this introduced earlier?

Late Night Surcharge
The late night surcharge between 12am and 5:59am daily will be revised back to 50% of the metred fare - instead of the staggered 10% to 50% surcharges.

'Disappearing taxis' between 11pm to midnight? The company says no, 'given that the City Area Surcharge will be in force right till midnight, giving little reason for taxi drivers in the city to 'hide'.

Fortunately Cinderalla takes a pumpkin coach.
Well, this might also create a new scenic view for S’p – taxi queues seen at city outskirts from 11pm.

Peak Period Surcharge
Instead of the standard $2 peak period surcharge now in effect between 7am & 9.30am on weekdays & 5pm to 8pm from Mon to Sat, passengers will have to pay an added 35% of their metered fare during those hours.

Uncles & aunties, ah peks & ah ums, do schedule your medical appointment time during off peak times.

Refering to the current difficulty of getting cabs in the city during peak hours, ComfortDelgro's CEO (Taxi Business), Mr Yang Ban Seng, said: 'We think this fare revamp will better match supply and demand of taxis. Our aim is to try and ensure that more taxis will go to areas where they are needed most and at the times they are wanted most.'

'I think this fare revamp will better maintain the income & bonuses of taxi companies with the aim to ensure that this would continue until new chains of complaints begin before they do another price increase overhaul'.

Mr Nah Tua Bah, president of the Comfort Taxi Operators' Association, added:
"The higher city surcharge will act as an incentive for drivers to make that trip back into town."

Creative cabbies out there, kuedos to you who managed to earn extra income via your creative ways which has gotten quite a lot of PR coverage which eventually result in a fare revamp...or rather a fare increase. Hey, it'd be a good idea for taxi companies to engage these people instead. They might even have a greater business sense than the U grads or MBA holders in there.

And I also admired the taxi company for coming up with such a 'well-thought & in-depth' price structure which perhaps only a certain % would bother to remember the details. Thanks for setting the example for other competitors or rather, followers to follow.

Well, it's always better to have a friend than a foe or competitor right?