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Availability of taxis improves as more operate in two shifts

SINGAPORE — The standards of taxi availability have seen some improvement due to measures implemented last year, with the most significant progress seen in the number of taxis operating in two shifts, said Senior Minister of State (Finance and Transport) Josephine Teo yesterday.

SINGAPORE — The standards of taxi availability have seen some improvement due to measures implemented last year, with the most significant progress seen in the number of taxis operating in two shifts, said Senior Minister of State (Finance and Transport) Josephine Teo yesterday.

The percentage of two-shift taxis had steadily declined over a six-year period, dropping from 60 per cent in 2006 to 52.5 per cent in 2012. However, the figure climbed to 58.9 per cent last year, signalling the reversal of a longtime downward trend.

Mrs Teo said this reversal was noteworthy as the average daily mileage for a two-shift taxi was 450km, which was one-and-a-half times that of a single-shift taxi. “In other words, taxi availability can be improved without expanding fleet size if more taxis operate on two shifts,” she said.

However, this did not mean taxi drivers had to drive unreasonably long hours, she said.

When Ang Mo Kio GRC Member of Parliament Ang Hin Kee asked if taxi drivers were cruising empty to cover the mileage requirements of the taxi availability framework, Mrs Teo said the monthly gross earnings for two-shift taxis were “generally one-and-a-half times that of one-shift taxis”, suggesting that was not the case.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) also commissioned a Taxi Customer Satisfaction Survey last year and found that 95.6 per cent of respondents were satisfied with taxi services, but customer expectations were “exceptionally high”, said Mrs Teo.

Only 82.8 per cent and 66.3 per cent of respondents indicated they had been satisfied with waiting times and taxi booking success, respectively. More than half of about 1,200 respondents, or 54 per cent, did not feel that taxi services had improved from a year ago.

Mrs Teo said: “We recognise and appreciate that some drivers have made adjustments, and will monitor the situation before raising standards further.”

On the ongoing review of the differing taxi fare structures, Mrs Teo admitted they were indeed confusing and frustrating to commuters, but said a simplified fare structure may lead to a levelling up of rentals and fares. Surcharges, on the other hand, played a part in matching demand and supply, and could be retained with some refinements.

Any transition would be “tricky” and would need to be “thought through carefully”. The LTA will engage taxi commuters to get a sense of their preference and share the findings with taxi companies and the National Taxi Association before considering any further steps, she said.

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