Are all cab drivers living in seng kang rich?
By ahgong
@ahgong (10064)
Singapore
May 18, 2007 4:39am CST
One cannot help but derive at this conclusion when ever one is trying to hail a cab in seng kang!
We have always read in the papers about cab drivers lamenting about the difficulty in getting fares these days cos of the sheer number of cabs that are being introduced onto the roads each year... yet when it comes to fetching people, they can still afford to pick and choose!
Very often, along seng kang east road, at any time of the day, even on sundays where there are no peak periods... one can see lots of people waiting for cabs. And there are no shortage of empty cabs along this road as well. The problem is, most of these uncles are not willing to fetch! No busy signs. No on call signs. Makes you wonder, are they really driving the cab to earn a living?
Then there is the major shopping centers in town at closing time... all CBD charges and ERP charges no longer applies at the shopping center's closing time. So there is no excuses that the fees are preventing them from coming in to pick a fare!
Many a times, while waiting for a cab at Suntec City, we see endless queues that will span till about m'nite. From closing time till m'nite, it is impossible to get a cab without calling for one.
It once happened to me when I noticed a particular cab coming around a few times at the queue I was in, no on call sign, no busy sign, but not joining the queue to pick up a fare from the long queue a head of me. I took note of the cab number as it reminded me of my grandpa's car number when he was still actively driving. This went on for about 20 minutes.
Being tired and loaded with groceries, I decided to call for a cab. Imagine to my surprise, that very cab I was the cab that picked up my call. I was so fed up, I called another company to get another cab. The joker wasted my time, I was returning the favor!
what do u think of the cab situation in here?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@sunslinger (474)
• Singapore
18 May 07
I think they're not only very rich but also psychic. They take one look at you and decide that your destination is somewhere very near and is not worth the effort, so they continue on to look for other prey. There might come a day when every guy who wants to flag a cab in seng kang has to wear this placard with their destination written on it!
1 person likes this
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
21 May 07
ha ha ha... that was exactly what I told my wife as well!
I find it funny... at a time when so many cabbies are lamenting that there is not enough business for them to sustain a livelihood, yet they are picking and choosing their fares!
I mean, if there really isn't enough business, would a short fare for a few minutes drive beat driving around aimlessly looking for fares?
What are they thinking? Isn't every dollar earned go towards making a livelihood?
I remember the earlier days when the problem of getting cabs were not so difficult... and then, the flag down fare was only $1.20!! Guess the government is giving these cabbies too good a time by having a high flag down fare eh?
There maybe another side of the story for not picking up... but when every cab on the same stretch of road refuses to pick up street fares, then there seriously is a problem!
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
21 May 07
The main problem is that CASE has no teeth to get at them. and consumers are at the mercy of these errant cab drivers.
there have been so many complaints, so many letters to the press. After all the sound and fury, after everyone agrees that something should be done, ends up -- signifying NOTHING.
Personal experience of getting a cab in CBD. Waited 40 mins, ended up STILL NO CAB! super duper feddup. even when you kam guan to pay, call to book, the lines are ENGAGED! so i tried calling a small cab company, and was slightly hearted to hear "you are caller number 22". at least i know where i stand. and they count down, and inform you how the calls are going. After waiting for 25 mins to get down to caller number 1, the call centre said, ok we will page for a cab. But, er, miss, if you don't hear any response after a few mins means there's no cab avail around your area. WAH LAU! and that's exactly what happened. what to do? already wasted more time than it would have taken for me to get home.
So I took MRT. felt like a true loser. and I can't see any solution around it. Singapore's laws shelter companies like these. and it's not like there will be enough public support for activism to reap results.
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
21 May 07
ha ha ha... i know what you mean. It happened to me many times too, and not just in the CBD! At suntec also. When the bewitching hour of 10:30 pm starts, getting a cab there after is like striking 4D or Toto or something!
Then after the long wait, one has to grudgingly make one's way to the MRT or bus stop to squeeze into the packed train/buses to get home. That feeling is really crappy... I know what you mean!
I remember the time when I was laden with groceries and some bulky purchases. Together with my wife, we waited for almost two hours, from 10-12+pm before we could get a cab. Even calling for one is impossible.
Miraculously, at the stroke of m'nite, the whole suntec area was flooded with empty available cabs! @#&@*#&(!@#&(&*#@!!!!
If not for my bulky purchases, would have taken a BUS home via the long way and sleeping in my comfortable bed already!
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
21 May 07
Forgot to add that I really pity the foreigners or tourists. How are they to know that at certain times it is impossible to get a cab unless you call? and they probably don't know the numbers to call if they are somewhere with no cabs in sight.
they prob think that the cabs in singapore are really all busy all the time. what a bad reputation for our tourist image. perhaps the STB should take this up. And they must be wondering why some locals can get cabs after a hp call. Whilst they flag and wait, flag and wait, with their shopping. Or even trying to get back to their hotels after a meal at Lau Pat Sat. They prob don't have hps that work in Singapore, and even if they did, why should they pay the high overseas charges to call for a cab?
It's a really dumb cab situation that we find ourselves in.
