Comfort Taxi Fares Getting Less Comfortable

Taxi fares to rise up to 49% from Dec 17 with Comfort's 'overhaul'

While reading this article, first thing I thought about was, "Oh no! How will we afford this? What about the poorer people?"

And when I saw this: "But the distance rate and waiting time will also be adjusted to 'more accurately reflect the cost of travel', it added. So instead of upping fares by 10 cents for each set distance or waiitng time, this will soon go up by 20 cents each time."

But come to think of it, this price hike does seem much-needed and is timely actually. (I also pay the same fares ok...) I especially agree with the doubling of the waiting/distance rate.

'Cos I was chatting with a taxi driver a week ago (he took me from Pasir Laba in the west to Pasir Ris in the east - it was the longest taxi ride of my life), and he told me he doesn't like traffic jams or long journeys.

"But why? I thought long journeys mean more money for you?"

"That's what you think... Actually, for us, it means time wasted. Remember, we still need to pay the high upkeep on our cab rentals. If I hadn't taken you on such a long journey, I could have made two more trips..." And pointing to the traffic jam in front of us, he motioned, "And especially traffic jams. Traffic jams are a major source of loss for us traffic drivers."

"Orh... I see! So that means BOTH the taxi driver and the passenger don't like traffic jams... so the driver has an incentive to finish the journey faster..."

"Yes, you got it."

He paused. "Nowah-days... taxi rentals... haiz."

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Which brings me to my next point: The real problem is not in the taxi fare increases - it's LONG overdue, c'mon... taxi drivers are not exactly earning "peanuts" ;)... so this low-to-middle income group should benefit in theory.

THE REAL PROBLEM is, will cab rental rates increase? That will make life harder for the taxi-drivers and their families.

I hope the taxi companies (especially ComfortDelgro) do not use the increased fare rates to justify increasing rental rates too. That would be so unjust. They could consider cost-cutting measures instead... like using more fuel-efficient vehicles or hybrids ... and just wondering, does the average person actually prefer to take a Mercedes cab?