Revamped taxi service to benefit drivers and public 调整德士收费，让司机和公众都受惠

Adapted from malaysianinsider.com

It was recently reported that taxi drivers may soon get their long awaited fare increase. It was not too long ago, in 2008, that the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) issued a stern warning to taxi drivers that they risked losing their licences if they increased fares without approval. The proposed fare increase is expected to be a raise in the starting base meter fare from RM2 to RM4 and a rate review on the fare charged per km travelled.

The reason for the hike is due to increases in operation and maintenance cost of vehicles, and also that most taxi drivers are not earning enough. If we remember, in November 2008 there was even a proposal by the then Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister to allow taxi drivers to sell packet drinks and phonecards to passengers as a side business to increase their earnings.

The proposal was not well received and I believed it did not take off. The fact the ministry suggested such a proposal shows that the government is probably trying to resolve the issue plaguing the taxi industry in terms of the ability of taxi drivers to earn a decent living. However the approach is not correct. We know that the part of the reason why the cost of operating a taxi is high is because taxi drivers are unable to obtain the permit themselves.

That could also be the reason why in January the first batch of cabbies, about 1,000, was given individual taxi permits. It is quite ludicrous that a taxi driver is unable to obtain an individual permit when he is the operator of the business. With company-owned permits, they have to work and pay off the companies first before they pay themselves. No wonder we always hear constant complaints of taxi drivers who do not use the meter and flaunt regulations. Tourists and the public do not have good things to say of our taxi drivers.

Since 1987, the CVLB has issued a total of 259,000 taxi permits, and individual permits represent a very small percentage of this figure.

A fare increase will help to alleviate the frustrations of taxi drivers, but if most of them are no individual permit holders, it is the permit holders who will benefit and not the taxi drivers. It is quite certain that with a fare review, the companies holding the permits will probably rent out the permits at a higher rate.

At the end the vicious cycle continues, the taxi drivers will continue to suffer and in return we passengers will bear the brunt and worst still we have to pay higher fares. I believe that if taxi drivers are able to earn a reasonable income monthly they will not resort to unscrupulous tactics to fleece passengers or tout at our international airport.

Talking about touts, it baffles me why this issue cannot be resolved. It is not as if it is difficult to carry out sting operations by posing as tourists to nab touts. But this will only address the symptom and not resolve the crux of the problem.

I believe the underlying issue is because taxi drivers ferrying passengers to the airport are unable to pick up passengers at the airport. They have to return empty. It is does not make economic sense.

It is time to do away with the monopoly on taxi services at the KLIA or any airport. I do not understand the need to have an exclusive taxi company to operate at an airport. I have yet to see any benefits of the current coupon system. In fact there are times at peak hours where you are required to take a premier taxi as a budget taxi is not available. To ease the situation and for more cost-effective travel, the government should allow taxis to pick up passengers freely without restriction. This could eliminate the tout problem and it would also help to increase the income of taxi drivers.

On the same matter, I have also heard grouses about different coupon fees charged by taxi companies. Apparently, the fare for a budget taxi from KLIA to the LCCT is higher than from the LCCT to KLIA even though distance is the same. The only reason I can think for this is that the taxi company feels that passengers from the LCCT passengers should get a cheaper rate since it is the LCCT.

The coupon system was implemented to counter profiteering by taxi drivers who refused to use meters but the effectiveness of this system is unclear. The rates should be transparent and clear like using the taxi meter. That way it would ensure that the coupon system is not abused.

Ultimately with better incomes, I believe taxi drivers would provide a better service to the benefit of everyone.

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最近报道指出，政府将批准调涨德士车资，这是德士司机引颈长盼的好消息。商业车辆执照局曾在2008年严厉警告德士司机，如果擅自调涨车资，该局将吊销他们的执照。德士司机建议基本车资从原本的2令吉调高到4令吉，同时也重新检讨里程收费率。

德士司机是基于运作成本和汽车维修费提高，收入微薄而要求调高车资。去年11月，企业及合作社部长允许德士司机在车上售卖包装水和电话卡给乘客，以赚取外快的新闻，相信大家记忆犹新。

虽然这项建议没有获得广泛响应，不过我相信政府并没有因此而取消。这项建议显示政府正设法解决德士司机的生计问题，可是方法并不正确。要知道，德士运作成本高是司机无法获得本身的执照导致的。

这也是政府在今年1月发出约1千张个人执照给德士司机的原因。驾驶德士的司机无法获得个人执照的现象真是荒谬。以公司执照开德士的司机必须先把血汗钱交给公司，剩下的才是自己的。这也难怪我们经常会接到德士司机不使用里程表和不遵守条例的投诉，游客和公众对德士司机也没有好感。

1987年以来，商业车辆执照局从发出25万9千张德士执照，个人执照只占一小部分。

提高德士车资可以减轻司机的生活负担，不过，大部分司机没有个人执照，所以受惠的其实是执照持有者而并非德士司机。而且，重新调整收费率，持有执照的公司可能会以更高的费用出租执照。

如果继续恶性循环，德士司机同样会受苦，而乘客除了首当其冲，还得付出更高的费用。我相信，如果德士司机每月可以获得合理的薪金，就不会用伎俩欺诈乘客，或在国际机场招徕乘客。

谈到招徕乘客，我对当局一直无法解决德士在国际机场招徕乘客的问题感到迷惑。在取缔行动中假扮游客，揪出这些德士司机并不是难事，不过这只能暂时减少这个现象，不能真正解决问题。

我相信，目前的问题症结在于德士司机载送乘客到机场后，无法在机场接到新乘客，回程时必须驾着空荡荡的车，不符合经济效益所致。

我认为，现在是撤除特定德士公司垄断机场德士服务的时候。我不明白为何当局需要一家指定德士公司在机场提供服务。我也看不到目前的固本制度有什么好处。实际上，如果是繁忙时段，普通德士很难找到，你通常要使用豪华德士。为了缓解这个现象和减低路程费用，政府应该取消目前的限制，批准德士在机场自由载客，以解决德士在机场招徕乘客的问题，同时也可以增加德士司机的收入。

此外，我也听到一些人投诉德士公司有不同的固本收费。即使距离一样，从吉隆坡国际机场到廉价航空终站的的德士费，却比从廉价航空终站到吉隆坡国际机场的德士费低。我能想到的唯一原因，就是德士公司认为廉价航空终站的乘客应该享有廉宜价格。

虽然固本制度可以杜绝德士司机不用里程表的问题，不过其有效性仍有待观察。固本制度的收费率应该更透明化，就像使用里程表一样，当局也应该确保这项制度不会被滥用。

我相信，如果有更好的收入，德士司机会为公众提供更好的服务。