What becoming to Singapore's public transport?

Year after year, the fares of our public transport have been increasing due to various reasons. But are we getting the service that we paid for? Why are there still so many long journey buses still not air-conditioned? Students like me have to take long journey bus to school, every trip it will be at least 1 hr. Singapore being so humid, by the time i reach school, my clothes will be soaked with sweat. When it is raining how often is our public buses leaking with rain? (be it air-con or non-air con buses)How many reckless bus driver are there now-a-days?

Our starting Taxi fare had increased from $2.40 to $2.50 or even more for those Mercedes and new cabs. After 11.30, there will be extra charges, not forgetting surcharge for public hols and peak hrs. Are we the consumers not paying enough? why are there so many taxi drivers refusing to pick up any customers on the road from 11.30pm onwards? There are so many empty cabs on the roads but they refused to pick up any customers who are desperately rushing home or somewhere ? The reason is very simply, these taxi drivers want to earn more by "forcing" customers to call and book their cabs.

This have been a very well-known situations in Singapore. But, these taxi drivers have becoming more and more daring and undisciplined. They refused to pick up any customers unless they are willing to pay a high fare that does not run by the taximeter.

Yesterday night, at 11+pm, I'm waiting for a cab to drive me from Clarke Quay to Prinsep St. I walked everywhere hopping to avoid the crowd,after walking for like 15-20 mins. I totally got no luck at all till i met this Mercedes Taxi Driver that makes me feel that LTA really need do their jobs.

Following is the complain letter that i wrote to LTA and SMRT:-

Dear person-in-charge,

Re: Taxi Driver Refuse to charge by Taximeter

I regret to inform you that I had a very bad experience with one of your Mercedes Taxi driver on the 8th June 2007, 1200am. I was trying to flag a cab at Clarke Quake and I came across a Mercedes cab driver (SHB 9058) who was out of his cab with his vehicle parking along the double yellow line. I approached him asking if he is willing to drive me to Prinsep St, he reminded me that it will be a midnight charge and I expressed my willingness to pay for the extra charges. He quoted me with a fare of $15, being puzzled I asked him why wasn’t he charging by the Taximeter? He simply replied me that he is not charging by the Taximeter, and asked me to walk further up to flag for other cabs. He not only tried to overcharge me with such a high fare, he also violated the rule by not charging by Taximeter. And he actually taunted me to get other cabs if I were not willing to pay it.

I really hope that some disciplinary actions will be taken towards such taxi drivers who do not take any regards to the LTA’s rule and regulations. They tarnish the good names of other taxi drivers in Singapore.

Regards,
Guay Xiaoying
Hp: 9474 xxxx


Why do i have to be discriminated as a consumers? Just because I'm not a blond with blue eyes? Is this the reflection of our society today? "As an employee, we the Singaporean are facing so much competition from those "foreign talents" in the market. Our living expenses are increasing year by year. I really start to wonder if Singapore is really our "homeland". It seems like we are not a "talent" to our government and we will never be. Do our government really feels that the "foreign talents" in Singapore will not go back to their homeland eventually. At the same time, our true talents are "outflow". What will Singapore, the country that only have human resources become, with the aging population?