New rule on taxi pick-up and drop-off points in the CBD
BARELY four days after a new rule requiring taxi drivers to pick up or drop off passengers at designated spots in the Central Business District (CBD) was announced, taxi drivers and passengers are already grumbling.
NEW STANDS
Canning Rise - near Registry of Marriages
Carpenter Street - opposite SAFRA Town Club
Connaught Drive - Padang
Duxton Road - shop house No. 61
Hoe Chiang Road - Keppel Towers
North Canal Road - opposite Hong Lim Park
Queen Street - PA Staff Club
Stamford Road - Singapore Management University School of Information Systems
Tan Quee Lan Street - DHL Balloon Field
Teo Hong Road - Outram Park MRT station Exit H
Six out of 15 people my paper spoke to say that there are not enough taxi stands. This is despite the Land Transport Authority (LTA) adding 10 new stands within the CBD.
There are now 105 taxi stands in the CBD, or about one within 300m of every building in the district, the LTA said.
Cabby Tommy Nyau, 61, felt there should be more, as well as longer, taxi stands.
He said: "Most stands can only take up to four taxis but with more taxis queuing up at stands now, there's not enough space for me to wait." He now tries to avoid driving into the CBD.
From last Saturday, cabbies could be fined $100 and given three demerit points if they do not pick up or drop off passengers at taxi stands or building driveways within the city area.
The new rule applies between 7am and 10pm from Mondays to Saturdays, except for public holidays.
Taxi-driver Larry Quek, 50, said: "It defeats the purpose of taking a cab for convenience. When it's a rainy day, customers will still have to walk in the rain to find a taxi stand."
Another taxi driver, who declined to be named, added that most of the roads in the CBD are one-way streets, which might mean making big detours to find a taxi stand.
"Customers who don't know the new rule might think I am trying to cheat them," he said.
Marketing manager Joshua Ngui, 36, who takes a cab every other day, felt that besides increasing the number of stands in town, more signs could also be put up so people know where to find the stands.
Another regular taxi passenger, Mr Patrick Chong, 41, who works as an IT specialist near Outram MRT, added: "If I have to walk 100m to 200m more, I might as well take the MRT."
Six passengers my paper spoke with, however, cheered the new rule.
Sales manager Matthew Ong, 42, said: "It should make driving on the roads safer without taxis stopping everywhere."
