bas dan teksi

fatz

May 26, 2008         
Ahoy! New water taxis to cruise S'pore River soon


RIVER VIEW: At least three of the 56-seater vessels, known as HiPPOboats, should be licensed for river cruises by the end of this month. -- ST PHOTO: ALAN LIM

THE first batch of new water taxis run by Singapore Ducktours will take to the Singapore River in a matter of days.

Currently undergoing water trials, at least three of these 14m-long, 56-seater aluminium vessels, known as HiPPOboats, should be licensed for river cruises by the end of this month.

'By mid-June, we will have at least eight HiPPOboats in the river,' said Ms Agnes Shew, assistant director of Singapore Ducktours. The company also operates the DHL Balloon and city sightseeing tours on open-top buses and amphibious vehicles.

Over the next three years, this home-grown tour operator will launch 20 boats, costing about $7 million, on the river.

Some of these vessels will be outfitted with banquet tables for dinner cruises, and others with sofa seats for parties.

This new service is part of a large-scale rejuvenation plan by the authorities that aims to make the Singapore River a tourist magnet.

The new Ducktours boats replace bumboats formerly operated by tourism and leisure company Singapore Explorer, which ended at the end of last year. Another company, Singapore River Cruises & Leisure, continues its bumboat service on the waterway.

In accordance with national water agency PUB's regulations, all the new boats will operate with a hybrid system of batteries and solar panels.

Trained guides will provide live commentaries on historically significant spots as passengers glide past a route that includes the Esplanade and Clarke Quay.

HONG XINYI

fatz

June 3, 2008         
UPFRONT
Women cabbies: Only a few, but fearless
By Christopher Tan, Senior Correspondent


RARE BREED: Female taxi-drivers (front, from left) Maggie Gan, 51, Ruth Lim, 48, (back, from left) Irene Kee, 48, Tan Ai Sioh, 55 and Lily Chng, 55. Only 2 per cent of those who hold taxi vocational licences here are women. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

WOMEN have made their presence felt in practically every profession, but in the world of taxi-driving, they remain relatively rare.

According to the Land Transport Authority, fewer than 2,400 women hold taxi vocational licences today.

Although this is a lot more than the 350 women licence holders back in 1990, it is still only a tiny 2 per cent of all licence holders.

Ms Susan Lim, 61, a cabby with SMRT Taxis for eight years, said: 'Maybe they are not brave enough. Many women don't feel confident even driving their own car. And driving a cab is definitely tougher.'

A florist who sold her business during the Asian financial crisis, she added that women of her generation tended to be more conservative.

'Initially, I felt very shy. Socially, I was very reserved. But not anymore. Now I feel comfortable talking to anybody,' she said.

The art of cab-driving also calls for some boldness. Ms Lim recalled that when she first started, she was too nice on the road.

'You have to act tough if you want to make a living,' she said, recalling what she learnt. Giving way to other motorists, she found, meant slowing down and that could mean losing a fare to another cabby.

'This is a lesson you learn through the years, not in a day,' she added.

After six months behind the wheel, ComfortDelGro Corp newbie Maggie Gan, a youthful 51, said that there are other factors stacked against women in this job.

'I have women friends who want to join me, but they are scared of encountering 'wolves',' she said, referring to male passengers who think they can get more than a taxi ride.

'I make up my hair shabbily to ward off unwanted attention.'

So far, she has had only one male passenger who tried to get fresh. 'It was an ah pek in his 70s who sat in front. During the journey, he said I was very pretty. I said: 'No lah, old already',' she recalled with a laugh.

'But Singapore is quite safe,' she added.

Ms Gan said there is also the issue of toilet breaks. 'It can be more inconvenient for women, especially when you're driving long hours and it's that time of the month.'

Then she went on to explain why things are different for men - striking a familiar chord with women all over who have to juggle domestic duties with a career.

After clocking a 5am to 5pm shift, the relief cabby who drives only on Sundays goes home to cook for the family - even though her children (aged 28, 26 and 18) are quite capable of fending for themselves.

'If I were a man, I would not have to look after the family this way,' said Ms Gan, who drives a minivan ferrying workers on weekdays.

Still, she felt driving a cab was ideal for her. 'It gives me independence and freedom. And I can still be home to take care of the family.'

She readily admits that she needs the job, as her 54-year-old husband does not have full-time work.

Taxi companies welcome women cabbies, saying they are more service-oriented and are less likely to give them problems.

ComfortDelGro spokesman Tammy Tan said: 'Female cabbies are every bit as competent as their male counterparts and are well accepted amongst their peers.'

The group has about 560 active women cabbies. Although this is up from 310 in 2003, they make up less than 2 per cent of ComfortDelGro's cabby strength of 32,000.

Ms Tan said the women cabbies tend to be younger, averaging between 40 and 49 versus 50 and 59 for the men.

'Generally, passengers respond better to female cabbies, who are perceived to be gentler and more patient,' Ms Tan said.

Premier Taxis managing director Lim Chong Boo concurs. He said: 'Our records indicate that female cabbies have fewer accidents and that suggests they practise safe driving habits consistently.

'Female cabbies also receive fewer complaints - probably because they are more conscientious and tactful.'

Cabby Lily Chng, 55, a 21-year veteran, has some words of advice for women who want to take up taxi-driving.

'This is a man's job. To excel in it, you have to be fit and have a proper mindset,' she said. 'You need concentration, and enough rest.

'You're in the taxi for many hours, so your mind has to be free and clear.

'Driving a cab today is more demanding than 20 years ago - the traffic, the customer, all quite different now.'

A former clerk, she switched to cab-driving in 1987 after her divorce and enjoys the fact that she is her own boss.

'I'm proud that I drive like a man,' Ms Chng said. 'And I'm proud of the other lady drivers.'

The ComfortDelGro cabby said she always makes it a point to greet her passengers. 'If you respect them, they will respect you. Once, I picked up someone who just came out of prison. No problem.'

What about amorous advances from fares?

'If you put on proper attire, people won't take advantage of you,' she said.

That may not always work. Premier Taxis cabby Ms Aisha Bee Mahmood, 47, recalled: 'I had a male passenger who was drunk. During the journey, he patted me on my shoulder suddenly and called me 'Darling'!

'I said: 'Please don't call me darling, I'm your taxi-driver.' And he said: 'Sorry ma'am.'

Like many other drivers, Ms Aisha said she enjoys the flexible hours and meeting all sorts of people.

'I like to talk to tourists and artists. This job gives me the opportunity to meet them,' said the former clerk who has been a cabby for 10 months.

[email protected]

fatz2

Singapura : 28 Jun 2008        
  
TAMBANG KHIDMAT BAS PREMIUM DINAIKKAN

Kenaikan ekoran pengendali tanggung kos minyak lebih tinggi

PENUMPANG yang menggunakan khidmat bas premium dijangka membayar tambang lebih tinggi ekoran kenaikan harga minyak.

SBS Transit, pengendali terbesar bas premium, telah diberi lampu hijau oleh Majlis Pengangkutan Awam (PTC) untuk menaikkan tambang sebanyak 30 sen hingga 60 sen bagi 40 khidmat bas premiumnya, dengan tambang tertinggi $3.60 bagi setiap perjalanan.

Namun tarikh tambang baru itu akan mula dikenakan masih dibincangkan.

Buat masa ini, SBS Transit mengenakan tambang daripada $2.70 hingga $3.60 bagi setiap perjalanan.

Kini terdapat 76 khidmat bas permium dan SBS Transit mengendalikan lebih separuh daripadanya.

Kos minyak yang ditanggungnya telah naik 52 peratus dalam suku pertama tahun ini berbanding tahun lalu, ujar jurucakap syarikat itu.

Satu lagi pengendali, SMRT, telah menaikkan tambang bagi khidmat premium 531-nya daripada $3 kepada $4.

Namun, tambang bagi lima lagi khidmat bas premiumnya dan tiga lagi yang dikendalikan anak syarikatnya, Bus-Plus, masih kekal pada tambang lama.

Syarikat lain yang turut menyediakan khidmat premium telah juga memohon kepada PTC untuk menaikkan tambang. Ini termasuk Persatuan Pengangkutan Sekolah Singapura (SSTA), yang mengendalikan lima bas premium dengan tambang $2.50 bagi setiap perjalanan.

Bus Hub, yang mengendalikan dua khidmat premium, mengenakan tambang $4 dan $5. Ia telah memohon untuk menaikkannya antara 50 sen dengan $1.

PTC berkata berdasarkan peraturan kenaikan tambang, bas premium boleh menaikkan tambang 1.5 kali ganda daripada tambang bas biasa.

Oleh itu, ia tidak menolak permohonan untuk menaikkan tambang kerana pengendali bas mempunyai penilaian pasaran mereka sendiri dan mereka juga mengambil risiko apabila berbuat demikian.

fatz2

Singapura : 28 Jun 2008        
         
MANA KAWASAN CBD BAGI BAYARAN TAMBAHAN TEKSI?

Saran supaya peta kawasan disertakan dalam teksi bagi elak kekeliruan

PARA penumpang yang menaiki teksi di kawasan bandar (CBD) diharap lebih berwaspada terhadap kadar tambahan yang dikenakan.

Ini kerana kebingungan terhadap kadar bayaran di kawasan bandar boleh mengakibatkan penumpang membayar $3 lebih daripada yang ditetapkan.

Jika seseorang penumpang menaiki teksi di kawasan bandar antara 5 petang dan tengah malam dari Isnin hingga Sabtu, beliau dikenakan bayaran tambahan $3.

Namun di manakah letaknya garisan kawasan bandar yang dimaksudkan itu?

Inilah yang menjadi persoalan dan menimbulkan kebingungan ramai penumpang dan pemandu teksi.

Mengenakan kadar tambahan yang tidak konsisten telah menimbulkan kemarahan penumpang yang berasa mereka ditipu pemandu teksi.

Seorang pelajar politeknik, Encik Fattah Salim, hampir-hampir terpaksa membayar kadar tambahan bagi satu perjalanan Sabtu lalu sekitar 9 malam.

Pemandu teksi menuntut beliau membayar kadar itu meskipun Encik Fattah menaiki teksi di kawasan Kembangan - di bahagian timur Singapura dan jauh daripada kawasan CBD.

Apabila ditanya, pemandu teksi itu berkata kawasan Kembangan merupakan sebahagian daripada kawasan bandar, justeru beliau dikenakan bayaran tambahan.

Pemandu itu akhirnya beralah dan tidak mengenakan bayaran tambahan setelah Encik Fattah membantah.

Ketiga-tiga syarikat teksi - ComfortDelGro, SMRT dan Premier Taxis - berkata kadar bayaran tambahan kawasan bandar hanya dikenakan jika penumpang menaiki teksi di dalam kawasan CBD yang ditetapkan.

ComfortDelGro juga menambah bahawa kadar tersebut dikenakan jika penumpang menaiki teksi di kawasan Orchard Road.

Ketiga-tiga syarikat tersebut berkata para pemandu mereka sudah dimaklumkan mengenai kawasan yang meliputi kadar tambahan tersebut.

Namun masih ada pemandu teksi yang berkata mereka masih samar-samar tentangnya.

Beberapa penumpang menyarankan agar satu peta dipamerkan di setiap teksi supaya orang ramai dapat mengetahui kawasan yang dimaksudkan.

Ada yang mendapati masih terdapat pemandu yang mengenakan bayaran tambahan meskipun menaiki teksi di luar kawasan bandar.

Menurut laman Penguasa Pengangkutan Darat (LTA), kawasan yang meliputi CBD termasuk Tanjong Pagar, Republic Boulevard dan Havelock Road.

Tidak seperti syarikat ComforDelGro, syarikat Premier Taxis dan SMRT tidak menyenaraikan Orchard Road sebagai sebahagian kawasan bandar.

Lantas para penumpang dan pemandu teksi bersetuju satu peta yang tetap yang dipamerkan akan membantu menghuraikan masalah.

Ketika dihubungi, pihak LTA berkata kadar bayaran tambahan itu bebas dikenakan oleh syarikat-syarikat teksi.

fatz2

Singapura : 11 Julai 2008        
  
TAMBANG LEBIH 'ADIL' BAGI PENGANGKUTAN AWAM

Sistem berdasarkan jarak perjalanan tanpa mengira jumlah pertukaran diperkenalkan tahun ini

Oleh
Azahar Mohd

PARA penumpang pengangkutan awam yang perjalanan mereka melibatkan pertukaran akan menikmati tambang yang lebih rendah dengan satu sistem baru yang akan diperkenalkan.

Sistem tambang berdasarkan jarak perjalanan tanpa mengira jumlah pertukaran akan diperkenalkan pemerintah secara berperingkat bermula tahun ini.

Buat masa ini para penumpang perlu membayar tambang asas setiap kali mereka menaiki bas dan bertukar kepada bas atau kereta api lantas perlu menanggung tambang lebih tinggi berbanding sekiranya mereka menggunakan khidmat sehala.

Dengan sistem baru, para penumpang yang memilih menggunakan khidmat sehala atau yang menggunakan khidmat yang melibatkan beberapa pertukaran menuju ke destinasi yang sama akan membayar tambang yang serupa.

Menurut Majlis Pengangkutan Awam (PTC) yang mengumumkan perubahan itu semalam, 40 peratus penumpang dijangka memanfaatkan tambang yang lebih rendah itu.

Penyusunan semula tambang itu dijangka tidak menjejas pendapatan pengendali pengangkutan awam tetapi sekitar 60 peratus penumpang yang perjalanan mereka tidak memerlukan pertukaran perlu membayar tambang yang lebih tinggi.

Malah beberapa penumpang perlu menanggung beban kenaikan tambang lebih tinggi daripada 3 peratus yang ditetapkan PTC bagi kenaikan tambang tahun ini.

Jumlah sebenar kenaikan itu hanya akan diketahui apabila pengendali pengangkutan awam membuat permohonan untuk menaikan tambang kepada PTC bulan depan.

PTC akan membuat keputusan mereka September ini dan tambang baru itu akan mula berkuatkuasa 1 Oktober ini.

PTC berkata mereka akan mengambil pertimbangan trend jumlah penumpang yang semakin meningkat apabila menimbangkan kenaikan tambang pengangkutan awam. Kesan daripada kenaikan jumlah penumpang terhadap pendapatan dijangka lebih besar berbanding kenaikan tambang bagi pengendali pengangkutan awam.

Formula tambang baru, yang sah digunakan bagi tempoh lima tahun sehingga 2012, akan membawa kepada kenaikan tambang lebih rendah - kerana penumpang memanfaatkan daya penghasilan lebih tinggi yang diisytiharkan pengendali.

Formula lama bagi kenaikan tambang pengangkutan awam mempunyai komponen daya penghasilan yang lebih rendah.

Menurut Kementerian Pengangkutan (MOT) semalam, tambang berdasarkan jarak itu akan diperkenalkan secara berperingkat bagi mengurangkan beban kewangan kepada pengendali pengangkutan awam.

Sebahagian 'denda pertukaran' yang dikenakan apabila penumpang membuat pertukaran akan ditarik balik tahun ini dan ditarik balik sepenuhnya menjelang semakan tambang pada Oktober 2009.

fatz2

ComfortDelGro taxis to impose 30-cent surcharge from July 17
By Chio Su-Mei, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 11 July 2008 1810 hrs



SINGAPORE : From July 17, passengers on Comfort and CityCab taxis will have to pay a 30-cent surcharge per journey.

Singapore's largest taxi group ComfortDelGro said this is to help its cabbies cope with increases in diesel costs.

Open market pump prices for diesel have risen by more than 50 per cent in the last six months, and ComfortDelGro said it has been subsidising the cost, so its cabbies can enjoy diesel prices at S$1.19 per litre.

But despite these subsidies, cabbies still have to cough up an average of S$15 a day extra for fuel.

So with the new surcharge, cabbies making at least 30 trips can make S$9 or more each day.

But some cabbies said it is still not enough.

One of them said, "(If we get about) S$17, S$18...extra, (then) it's okay."

Others do not think it will work.

One cabbie said, "(It) doesn't help. (It will) frighten people from taking a taxi."

Passengers also had mixed views.

One said, "I'm already taking a cab during the peak hour, so 30 cents doesn't matter actually."

Another said, "I'm not all right with that. Because basically we already have the 35 per cent surcharge for peak hour."

A third noted, "I think it's quite reasonable. At least you pay the cabbie, because I think the other surcharges, what we pay, I don't think it reaches them much."

Some passengers however worry this will set a precedent.

One passenger said, "What happens if the petrol price increases again? Are you going to increase the surcharge?"

ComfortDelGro said the surcharge will be removed when pump prices fall back to S$1.19 per litre - the market price last December.

For now, there has been no word from other taxi operators on whether they will introduce a similar surcharge. - CNA/ms

fatz2

July 12, 2008         
NEW FARE STRUCTURE
Distance-based fares 'fairer way to go'
But GPC deputy head is worried about six in 10 direct-service users having to pay more
By Yeo Ghim Lay & Maria Almenoar

CHARGING public transport fares based on distance travelled is a much fairer way to go, say commuters and members of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Transport.

At present, a commuter who transfers between buses or from a bus to a train pays more compared to someone who uses a direct service that travels the same distance to get to the same destination.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) announced that under a new fare structure to be phased in by next year, both commuters will pay the same fare.

Calling distance-based fares 'fair and equitable', GPC for Transport deputy chairman Ong Kian Min said: 'A commuter might want to avoid a certain stretch of road that might be congested, and this gives him the option to choose his route.'

However, he has reservations about how six in 10 commuters who take direct services might wind up paying more.

MOT had explained that a reduction in fares for those taking transfer routes will lead to a loss of revenue for public transport operators, and this would have to be shared by both operators and commuters.

Disagreeing with this, Mr Ong said: 'This is not justified...fares should be maintained for those taking direct services now. I would like to know why the operators cannot absorb the cost first and let the system settle down first?'

MOT believes four in 10 commuters will end up paying less with the new fare structure, and Singapore is not alone in going down this road.

Seoul introduced distance- based fares as well as bus service reforms in 2004 and commuter behaviour changed as a result of the reforms, said MOT.

Hoping for a similar result here, it said that a number of commuters choose not to make journeys involving transfers now because of the transfer penalty.

'So with through fares, more people will take transfers,' added a ministry spokesman.

Commuters who have to make a transfer to get to their destination will benefit the most with the change.

Financial analyst Grace Lau, 25, who takes a bus from her home in Upper Serangoon before transferring to a train to get to her Shenton Way office, said: 'Commuters shouldn't be penalised for the route they choose as one could be faster than the other but the distance might be the same.'

But it is not so clear if the new distance-based fare system will motivate commuters to change their travelling habits.

While a commuter might have several options - either through a direct service or transfers - to get to his destination, the distance for each must be the same for fares to be uniform.

Many commuters also said that travelling time and convenience are just as important as the fare, when choosing a route.

Food stall assistant Sally Lim, 53, said: 'I prefer taking a direct service instead of transferring from one bus to another. It can be very inconvenient.'

While commuters like Madam Lim are choosing to stick to their tried-and-tested route for now, a revamp of the land transport system still under way could see more direct services being withdrawn.

Transport Minister Raymond Lim had said in January that transfers are a key feature of a hub-and-spoke transport system, which commuters are set to see more of in the years ahead.

This means fewer direct services, which are considered inefficient and expensive.

Commuters can expect better service as a result as MOT has set public transport operators a new target - 80 per cent of commuters must complete their journeys within an hour, by 2015, up from 71 per cent now.

[email protected]

[email protected]

fatz2

Taxi touts strike at ferry terminal
Drivers offer a flat rate of $40 or $50, higher than the metered fare
By Melissa Sim


CAUGHT IN THE ACT: Taxi drivers talking to a potential customer at the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. While SMRT says the flat rate the drivers charge is legitimate, LTA rules imply that cabbies should not negotiate or approach customers. The man walked away after a short while. -- ST PHOTOS: LIM WUI LIANG

THE NEGOTIATION: The man returns to the cabby and is seen talking with the coordinator who appears to be negotiating the fares on the driver's behalf.

DONE DEAL: The man gets into the cab after the fare is settled. Faced with a dearth of taxis, many passengers have no choice but to pay the flat fee.

DESPITE tougher penalties and enforcement checks by the Land Transport Authority, taxi touts are back - this time at the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.

When The Straits Times visited the terminal last Sunday night, about 15 SMRT Mercedes-Benz taxis and MPV cabs lay in wait, evidently for unsuspecting tourists.

They were parked in front of the exit, just opposite the regular taxi queue.

Each time ferry-loads of passengers from Batam or Bintan arrived, the drivers, in their white shirts and black pants, would approach the Caucasians exiting the terminal, offering rides at a flat rate of $40 for one stop, or $50 for two.

The metered fare from the terminal to, say, Orchard Road would have cost only $12.

That day, at least six tourists took up driver's offers. Some who shunned the touts at first finally gave in after a 20-minute wait in the taxi queue, which was not moving.

The drivers who had less luck would drive out of the carpark before the hour was up - and then back in again - to take advantage of the carpark's one-hour grace period during which they may park for free.

While SMRT does run a limousine booking counter at the terminal and said the fares quoted by the limousine cabs were legitimate, the Land Transport Authority's rules state that limousine cabs can only be booked at the official counter or on the phone.

This means that drivers should not be the ones negotiating with or approaching customers.

Sundays appear to be the favoured day for the touts since that is when many would return back from weekend trips. The number of touts also balloons at about 10pm, when the last ferries come in.

But there are also touts who pop by the terminal every day, said other taxi drivers who declined to be named.

When ST visited the terminal again on Tuesday, there were just six taxis in wait, with a coordinator who seemed to be negotiating the fares.

That evening, after the last ferry came in, some Singaporeans, faced with a dearth of cabs, also relented and took the $40 rides.

One Mercedes-Benz cab driver was overheard telling his colleague: 'Don't ask them where they are going. Just get them in the cab.'

The touts seem undeterred by the prospect of a fine of $500, 12 demerit points and an immediate four-week suspension if they are caught.

New and stiffer penalties for errant cabbies kicked in last November, prompted by the increasing incidence of touting, overcharging and cabbies refusing to pick up passengers.

An LTA spokesman said that the number of errant taxi drivers caught has fallen from an average of 29 offenders a week to seven a week since the harsh penalties came into effect.

The LTA has also been conducting enforcement checks several times a week.

But while the new penalties appear to have kept touts away from the old hot spots like Clarke Quay, Sentosa and Orchard Towers, they are now trying their luck at more secluded places like the ferry terminal.

On its part, SMRT said it 'will continue to remind its drivers at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal not to conduct any errant acts'.

[email protected]

fatz2

New common taxi booking number from July 21
Posted: 16 July 2008 1842 hrs

SINGAPORE : From Monday, commuters will need to remember only one number when booking a taxi.

That number is 6-DIAL CAB or 6342 5222.

The Land Transport Authority and taxi companies said this one booking number will make it easier and more convenient for commuters and tourists to call for taxis.

It is one of the initiatives from the Land Transport Master Plan announced early this year.

The common number will complement current call booking systems.

The current hotlines will still be in use for commuters who have a preference for taxis from any of the existing companies.

Under the new common taxi booking number, commuters will have access to up to three taxi companies.

The call will first be routed to one selected company. If the line is busy, it will be diverted to another taxi company.

The call will only be terminated after three unsuccessful attempts. - CNA/ms

fatz2

First woman cabby here dies
'Iron Lady' Wong Ah Mooi wanted to drive until her final days.
By April Chong        


The mother of three and grandmother of six was 72. As a cabby, she took everything that came with the job. -- PHOTO: WONG AH MOOI

A SPUNKY woman ahead of her time - this is how Madam Wong Ah Mooi will be remembered. Back in 1958, when she was a petite, pretty 22-year old, she became Singapore's first woman cab driver.

It was when few women drove, let alone earn a living by driving strangers around. After a life time of living just outside conventions, the 'Iron Lady' - as she was known to her friends - died last week from heart failure.

The mother of three and grandmother of six was 72. As a cabby, she took everything that came with the job - even lifting her Morris Minor single-handedly out of a ditch into which she had accidentally reversed it.

Her brother-in-law, insurance agent Roger Cheong, 60, saw her do it. He said: 'She is very strong. She alone carried the whole car out. I was so surprised'.

And had any of her passengers tried getting fresh with her, they would have felt pain at the hands of a holder of a black belt in judo. Luckily, none did.

Back in her hometown of Ipoh, Malaysia, she took a bullet in her shoulder during the Japanese occupation. During what her family recalls were the race riots here, she was slashed in her back once by an attacker.

Drawing on her own life experiences, she drummed it into her children: 'If I can survive all that, there is nothing else you cannot do.'

Her youngest daughter Mabel Cheong, a tutor in her 30s, said: 'She's a fighter and will never admit defeat, even when her health was deteriorating'.

With almost no education, Madam Wong left her rubber-tapping job and came here in her late teens to eke out a better living.

She was a petrol pump assistant, a nanny and a door-to-door saleswoman for condensed milk. She loved cars and earned her driving license while in her early 20s.

She bought that Morris Minor and began conducting driving lessons. She went on to drive a pirate taxi, plying from Alexander to Geylang, and from Newton to Pasir Panjang on the very first day.

Her marriage in 1962 did not deter her from her cab driving, neither did a stroke in the early 1990s that partially paralyzed her. After a year of acupunture and physiotheraphy, she had jumped right back into her taxi. She retired in 2000.

fatz2

Full-day bus lanes to be extended to three locations
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 22 July 2008 2245 hrs

SINGAPORE: Full-day bus lanes will be extended to three more locations from July 28.

The locations are Orchard Road, between Orange Grove Road and Anguilia Park, Orchard Boulevard, between Grange Road and Paterson Road, and Serangoon Road, between Buffalo Road and Balestier Road.

Currently, these three stretches have regular bus lanes which operate during the peak hours of 7.30am to 9.30am and 5.00pm to 8.00pm.

But with the change, these lanes will be demarcated by continuous yellow and red lines, and will operate from 7.30am to 8.00pm on weekdays and Saturdays, with the exception of public holidays.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the extension of the bus lane hours is in line with the government's masterplan to increase coverage of bus lanes and encourage more people to use public transport.

LTA has engaged and informed relevant parties affected by the changes, such as businesses, building owners and grassroots organisations.


- CNA/so

fatz

Cabbie Woes: More Cabbies Attacked
By Leong Wee Keat, TODAY | Posted: 04 August 2008 1026 hrs

SINGAPORE: Cabbies may say assaults against them are rare, but they are on the rise, according to the largest taxi operator here.

ComfortDelGro — which has 15,000 of the 24,000 taxis on the roads here — told Today that assaults against the company’s drivers have more than doubled from a year ago.

In the first seven months of the year, ComfortDelGro has seen 17 attacks against drivers, more than double the number for the whole of last year.

Could last December’s fare hikes have played a part in some of these passengers seeing red and venting their spleen against cabbies?

Most of the 15 cabbies Today spoke to did not think so, saying that most attacks could happen after fare disputes, when passengers try to cheat their way out of paying and when dealing with drunken passengers — a perennial headache cabbies face.

While passengers might grumble about high fares, cabbies said most would get agitated if they got caught in a traffic jam, or felt that the cabbie was out to cheat them by taking a longer route.

The authorities have taken a tougher stance to deter crimes against cabbies.

Two weeks ago, the High Court sent out a stern message to attackers of public transport workers when a judge dismissed an attacker’s appeal and instead tripled his jail sentence from one month to three months. Under the law, the maximum punishment for common assault is two years’ jail and a $5,000 fine.

Fare cheats cases, too, are on the rise for some operators — in the case of ComfortDelGro, a monthly average of 134 cases this year, up from a monthly mean of 85 cases last year, said spokeswoman Tammy Tan.

Cabbie Ong Eng Seng was the victim of a violent passenger, who not only refused to pay a $16.60 fare but also punched him in the eye before fleeing.

The attack on Feb 7 left the 69-year-old driver with a swollen eye and blurred vision. He was unable to work for a week.

“If he didn’t have the money to pay, we could have negotiated. He didn’t have to resort to violence,” the CityCab driver told Today, recalling his shock at being attacked for the first time in his 21 years as a cabbie.

First-time offenders can be fined up to $1,000 while repeat offenders can be fined $2,000 and jailed six months for cheating.

Unlike other countries, attacks against taxi drivers are just a blip on the crime radar here, but an alarming one nonetheless. For example, the number of reported taxi robberies has risen from 24 to 49 between 2006 and last year, according to the police.

Cabbies say a large proportion of crimes, including assaults, go unreported. Mr Ong called the police after the attack, butdecided not to pursue the matter. “It was too troublesome. Just my luck to have picked the wrong passenger,” he told Today.

CityCab driver Robert Leong believes in reasoning things out with passengers. “If the passenger insists that I have taken a longer route, I offer him a discount. Why argue? I would rather just move on and pick other passengers,” he said.

Cabbies in other countries, however, have opted not to face the wrath of unruly passengers on their own — relying on taxi drivers’ associations lobbying and working with the authorities to make their work safer.

In Australia, for example, two state governments have adopted a tougher stance on assaults on public transport workers. In February, the Northern Territory Government raised the maximum penalty for common assault on a bus or taxi driver from one to five years.

In the state of Victoria, a A$2.5-million ($3.2-million) safety strategy was launched last August, following the murder of a taxi driver. Trials of protective and dismountable screens to shield the driver from rear-seat passengers, and improved cameras inside the vehicles, are scheduled to start next year.

Here, taxi operators have dismissed the idea of installing such cameras, citing passengers’ privacy and costs.

What about protective screens — used in London cabs since the 1970s?

Smart Taxis’ general manager Niki Ong felt such screens may be aesthetically ugly. “We want our drivers to be approachable, interactive and provide a service to the passengers,” he added.

Companies here employ a distress alarm that uses the Global Positioning System technology to track the location of their taxis. The technology also allows the police to be notified.

Would a public education campaign help? An SBS Transit campaign has helped reduce assaults against its bus captains.

Today understands that ComfortDelGro is looking at a similar public education campaign to deter assaults against cabbies.

Some cabbies are already taking their own deterrent — if unauthorised — measures, including keeping packets of chilli powder with them and not wearing seat belts for a quick getaway when trouble strikes.

Cabbies say they take the first step to defusing any potential unhappiness by asking the passenger his or her choice of route.

Most cabbies opt to stay cool despite being harangued. “No choice,” Mr Anthony Tan, a cabby for 20 years, said. “Your livelihood could be affected should the passenger complain against you.” - TODAY/sh

fatz

Man arrested for robbing 3 taxi drivers at knife-point
By Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 04 August 2008 1957 hrs

SINGAPORE: Police have arrested a 34-year-old man who is believed to have robbed three taxi drivers at knife-point over the weekend.

On Sunday at about 1:45pm, a female taxi driver told police she was robbed at Raeburn Park by an attacker who fled in a blue taxi. She managed to provide the police with the taxi's registration number.

The police relayed this information to Comfort Taxi, which tracked the taxi using GPS and alerted its drivers to be on the lookout.

After 20 minutes of a joint search, police officers intercepted the taxi at the junction of Outram Road and Eu Tong Sen Street.

One officer fired his Taser – akin to a stun gun – at the suspect after he approached the officers in a threatening manner, ignoring instructions to stop.

The suspect is believed to have robbed two other taxi drivers at knife-point on Saturday. Both cases occurred within 20 minutes of each other.

The suspect will be charged in court on Tuesday with armed robbery. If convicted, he can be jailed between two and 10 years, and given at least 12 strokes of the cane.


- CNA/so

fatz2

Sep 3, 2008
Taxi driver collapses at wheel
By Carolyn Quek

A TAXI driver crashed his taxi into the centre divider along the Airport Boulevard on Tuesday morning after he collapsed at the wheel.

The 54-year-old driver had just picked a passenger from Changi Airport Terminal 1 and was headed in the direction of the city when the accident happened.

While the male China national passenger, was unhurt, the driver was unconscious and taken to Changi General Hospital.

The driver was pronounced dead on arrival.

fatz2

Sep 3, 2008
New premium bus services


SMRT's new premium bus services include service 598 from Petir Road which will stop at Clifford Pier, UIC Building, opposite Temasek Tower and MAS Building along Shenton Way, providing commuters with a fast and direct route to work. -- PHOTO: SMRT


SMRT's new premium bus services include service 598 from Petir Road which will stop at Clifford Pier, UIC Building, opposite Temasek Tower and MAS Building along Shenton Way, providing commuters with a fast and direct route to work. -- PHOTO: SMRT

COME next Monday, residents living in five heartlands will have an alternative mode of transport when commuting to work.

SMRT is set to introduce six new Premium Bus Services (PBS) that will take commuters to Jurong East, Orchard Road, Shenton Way and Robinson Road.

The new services will cater to those living in Toa Payoh, Sunset Way, Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Panjang and Hougang.

The services will run one trip daily during morning peak hours, from Mondays to Friday.

Each ride costs between $3.50 and $4.50.

SMRT said since the PBS were introduced in April, they have seen ridership grow by about 10 per cent.

With the six new services, SMRT will run a total of 15 premium bus services.

miezarra_27

hrmmmm.....
this morning took a cab to work... the fare shown on the meter was $19.70..
tapi bila nak bayar... driver kata "Never mind.. $18 only"...
Are u sure? I tanya taxi driver...

Yes...dia jawap..
Alhamdullilah.. rezki pagi hari dibulan puasa...

Agaknya dia ksian tgk my face yg blur2 sotong...
gara2 ngantukzzzzzzzz tadi..

fatz2

kalau dreber tu baca mie punya siggy...jgn harap ler dia nak kasi discount

**************

Berita Harian
Singapura : 9 September 2008         
         
SBS LABUR $147J BELI BAS BARU

SYARIKAT pengendali bas, SBS Transit, akan melaburkan $147 juta untuk membeli 400 bas baru.

Bas baru itu dibeli daripada syarikat pengeluar trak dan bas Eropah, Scania, dan memenuhi piawaian Eropah bagi kenderaan mesra alam, menurut SBS Transit yang merupakan anak syarikat ComfortDelgro.

Bas itu adalah yang pertama di Asia yang memenuhi piawaian tersebut.

Ciri bas itu juga akan memenuhi keperluan warga tua dan penumpang kurang berupaya yang menggunakan kereta roda.

Menurut SBS, bas itu akan dihantar ke sini tahun depan.

Dengan pembelian terbaru itu, bilangan bas baru yang dibeli SBS mencecah 1,100 sejak empat tahun lalu.

SBS Transit berkata urus niaga itu adalah sebahagian daripada latihan untuk memperbarui 2,800 basnya.

Langkah itu akan mengurangkan purata umur basnya. Sebanyak 40 peratus daripada keseluruhan bas SBS akan merangkumi bas baru menjelang akhir tahun depan.

Sejak 2005, SBS Transit telah membelanjakan $427 juta bagi membeli bas baru.

Langkah SBS membeli bas mesra alam juga sejajar dengan usaha ComfortDelgro untuk menjadi lebih mesra alam.

Sebelum ini ia menyatakan langkah mereka menjadi lebih mesra alam akan membantunya menjimatkan $300,000 setahun. Misalnya, ia dapat menjimatkan $300,000 dengan mengawal hawa dingin atau mengitar semula air yang digunakan bagi membasuh bas-basnya.

The ST

More green SBS buses[Size]=1]
By Yeo Ghim Lay

COMMUTERS using SBS Transit bus services can expect more disabled and elderly-friendly buses from next year, with the public transport operator spending $147 million on 400 new buses.

Manufactured by Swedish company Scania, the new vehicles will also produce lower levels of emissions than SBS Transit's existing fleet of vehicles.

The first of the 400 buses will be delivered early next year, with the rest to follow over the rest of the year.

SBS Transit said on Monday that the new vehicles will come with low floors and wheelchair-friendly features such as retractable ramps at the doors and wheelchair lots on board.

A quarter of SBS Transit's 2,800 strong fleet now have such features.

The land transport review unveiled earlier this year set the target that 40 per cent of public buses here be wheelchair-accessible by 2010. By 2020, all buses should be this way.

Besides meeting this goal, public transport operators are also going for more environmentally friendly buses.

The authorities want 40 per cent of buses here to meet Euro IV emission levels by 2010, and all buses to do so by 2020.

SBS Transit said its new buses, called Euro V Enhanced Environmentally-Friendly Vehicles, will produce less emissions than standard Euro V models.

For example, these buses will produce over 40 per cent less unburnt hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons produce ozone, which can irritate the eyes and cause breathing difficulties.

When asked why SBS Transit is buying Euro V buses when the Government has stipulated the less-stringent Euro IV standards, SBS Transit spokesman Tammy Tan said: 'It doesn't make sense for us to go Euro IV when Euro V buses are about the same price and more environmentally friendly.'

SBS Transit is not the first to roll out Euro V buses - SMRT introduced its first such bus in May, and will put six more on the road by month's end.

Another 60 of the company's new Euro V buses, which are also wheelchair-accessible, will be on the roads by year end, said an SMRT spokesman yesterday.

The new vehicles are a part of an additional 130 buses the company is buying to replace its older vehicles.

SBS Transit's latest purchase will lower its fleet's current average age from 10.5 years to nine years by the end of next year.

About 40 per cent of the fleet will comprise new buses by then, said the operator, which had paid $280 million for 700 buses over the last four years.

fatz2

Bus and train fares up on October 1
Posted: 12 September 2008 1032 hrs



SINGAPORE - Most bus and train journeys except those for children, students and national servicemen, will see fare changes from 1 October 2008.

The Public Transport Council (PTC) has given the green light for an overall net fare adjustment that will result in fare changes that will range from a 7-cent reduction to a 4-cent increase per journey.

Adult EZ-Link fares on buses and trains and the senior citizen concession EZ-Link fare, will see a flat increase of 4 cents per ride.

However, this will be offset by the 15-cent increase in transfer rebate from the current 25 cents to 40 cents.

Public transport operators have also decided that they will bear 10 cents out of the 15-cent increase in the transfer rebate.

Therefore, fares for most adult or senior citizen concession journeys will see a range of adjustments, from an increase of 4 cents for a direct journey with no transfer, to a reduction of 7 cents for a journey with one transfer.

According to the PTC, journeys with more transfers will see a greater fare reduction, ranging from 18 cents for a journey with two transfers and 29 cents if there are two transfers.

To fund the higher transfer rebate, transport operators will give up more than $30 million in fare revenues annually. As for the remaining 5-cent increase in the transfer rebate, the PTC said it will be redistributed amongst commuters, as they will benefit from it.

Chairman of the PTC, Gerard Ee said "by raising the transfer rebate this year and making the operators absorb a larger part of the cost, we managed to strike a balance and keep the overall net fare adjustment to just 0.7%, much lower than the fare cap of 3%."

揟his decision comes after careful deliberation, testing many permutations and scrutinising the impact on both operators and commuters."

In a news release, the PTC also announced a new maximum EZ-Link fare-band, with an additional 5-cent increase for long-distance rides on buses and trains.

As for cash fares for adult bus and train rides, which have not been adjusted since 2005, they will increase by 10 cents across the board.

The PTC said that it considered during its deliberations, Singapore抯 economic outlook, the affordability of public transport and the fare review mechanism adopted since 2005.

It noted that the public transport affordability indicator had been on a down-trend over the past five years, indicating that fares have remained affordable for most commuters.

To further safeguard commuters

fatz2

S$5.2m to help the needy cope with bus, train fare hike
Posted: 12 September 2008 1650 hrs



SINGAPORE: The government and public transport operators have set aside a total of S$5.2 million to fund public transport vouchers to help needy families cope with the impending fare hike.

The Public Transport Council announced earlier Friday an overall public transport fare adjustment of 0.7 per cent from October 1.

Adult EZ-Link and senior citizen concession fares for buses and trains will increase by 4 cents, but this will be offset by a 15-cent increase in the transfer rebate.

Almost all journeys will therefore see a range of fare adjustments from a reduction of 7 cents to an increase of 4 cents.

To help the needy, the government will draw down S$4.75 million from the Public Transport Fund, which was set up in 2007 to help lower-income households on public transport costs.

SMRT Corporation and SBS Transit, on their part, have set aside S$0.45 million.

The money will fund 130,000 public transport vouchers. Each voucher is worth S$40 and can be used to buy or top up EZ-Link cards or to buy monthly concession passes.

- CNA/ir

fatzcomel

Bus lanes to extend to five locations in the east
By Greta Georges, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 17 September 2008 1533 hrs



SINGAPORE: From Monday, bus lanes will be implemented at five locations in the east, along Aljunied Road, New Changi Road, Upper Changi Road East, Simei Avenue and Tampines Avenue 5.

Singapore抯 Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Wednesday said the move will allow buses to move more quickly during the peak hours from 7:30am to 9:30am and from 5pm to 8pm on weekdays.

Prior to the implementation, LTA said they had engaged parties affected by the changes including businesses, homeowners and grassroots organisations.

- CNA/yb