Availability of taxis to be improved with new system

By Hetty Musfirah, Channel NewsAsia, 1 June 2012

A comprehensive nationwide data-sharing system is in the pipeline to improve the availability of taxis on the roads.

Advisor of the National Taxi Association Seng Han Thong said the system aims to better match relief drivers to cabs, so that the taxi fleet is fully utilised.

There are also plans to incentivise cabbies to maximise their earning potential.

Starting this month, all cabbies aged 73 and above can continue driving until the age of 75.

Since the higher age limit was announced in April, 47 eligible taxi drivers have passed the relevant tests.

One of them is 73-year-old Lim Chee Pheng who has been been a cabbie for about 30 years.

"My health is still okay, so I don't want to stay home and do nothing. If I can go out and drive a taxi, then I will do so. (I) can take on some of the family's burden and have a bit of money to myself."

The National Taxi Association estimates that every year, only about 25 per cent of the 200 elderly drivers like Mr Lim will continue driving beyond 73.

Mr Seng Han Thong said: "Many may knock off at 65, or 66, and also there are some feedback who will like to carry on but the children said father you have had enough so don't. There are many factors for them to make the final decision to drive or not to drive."

Short of hiring more cabbies, efforts are underway to improve the utilisation of cabs so that taxis are more readily available on the roads.

The taxi industry has been receiving constant feedback from passengers about the difficulties in getting a cab.

A tripartite workgroup has been set up to improve taxi availability of the roads.

It's understood that out of about 27,000 taxis, only about 60 per cent are fully utilised with drivers working double shifts.

The remaining 40 per cent of taxis are one man operations (OMOs) - meaning the cab is used just by one driver.

So there are instances where cabs are left idle - when it's the driver's time off.

To address this, a data-sharing system that cuts across all the cab companies is being looked into.

Mr Seng said: "There should be a better match. There are people who wanted to be relief taxi drivers but they cannot find a good match. And there are also people who also know they don't want to carry on OMO, but they also cannot find a good match.

The aim is to match drivers based on factors such as their location or their timing preferences.

Mr Seng noted that getting more cabbies to maximise their taxi is a challenge.

So the workgroup is also studying ways to incentive drivers.

He said: "Many may prefer OMO, but if we can have some good system which can also incentivise them that it's better to join this scheme and you get better income, because the rental per day is fixed, if you get a relief it increases your income."

Passengers welcome the move.

One said: "On rainy days, people will choose to take a cab for convenience, so with more cabs it will be easier for us."

Mr Seng did not say when the system will be ready but added the tripartite workgroup is now working on the technical details.