LETTERS: I have read reports that cabbies in Johor Baru are unhappy with low e-hailing fares.
I wish to share my experience about taxis as a driver, commentator and trainer for Teksi Wanita, Teksi1Malaysia (TEKS1M) and drivers of pink coloured vans licensed as hired cars in Pangkor.
I drove limousine taxis from 1973 to 1975, and premier and budget taxis from 2000 to 2010.
The starting fare for premier taxis was RM3 with the meter clocking 20 sen for every 200m, amounting to RM1 per km and 20 sen for every 45 seconds or up to RM16 in an hour.
Then, budget taxi rates were RM2 as starting fare, 66.6 sen per km and RM8 per hour, which had not been revised for many years.
In 2007, I had proposed that budget taxi fares be increased to RM3 starting fare, RM1 per km and RM12 per hour.
My letter, "Revise taxi fares to benefit all", appeared in a daily on Oct 20, 2007.
I also proposed that rates for premier taxis be raised to RM4.50 for starting fare, RM1.50 per km and RM24 per hour, with rates for executive taxis remaining at RM6 starting fare, RM2 per km and RM36 per hour. These have streamlined metered taxi rates.
I told taxi drivers that high fares did not necessarily translate into high income.
A huge fare increase (up to 600 per cent as demanded by some taxi associations) would attract many people to drive taxis, but the benefit would go to taxi companies, not the drivers.
The result would be many empty taxis on the road, as drivers would find that high fares would result in fewer passengers and stiff competition.
In 2009, the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board increased budget taxi fares to 87 sen per km and RM17.14 per hour by pegging meter fares at 10 sen for every 115m or 21 seconds. This was made without scientific basis.
The number of budget taxis doubled as many taxi permits were granted to taxi companies and people.
The market was flooded with taxis, forcing the Land Public Transport Commission, which became operational in 2011, to freeze the issuance of permits.
In 2013, I proposed that budget taxi fares be increased by 44 per cent for distance to RM1.25 per km, and 40 per cent for time to RM24 per hour.
Two years later, budget taxi fares were raised to RM1.25 per km and RM25 per hour.
TEKS1M fares were raised higher to RM4 starting fare, RM1.50 per km and RM30 per hour in greater Kuala Lumpur, and more in Penang at RM1.75 per km and RM35 per hour.
Although the higher fare for TEKS1M was justified because of the higher costs for operating a Proton Exora MPV, it backfired when many passengers avoided using them.
Today, taxi drivers in Johor Baru are complaining that they are unable to compete with e-hailing service because passengers would have to pay twice as much for using taxi service, said Taman Desa Jaya United Taxi Club secretary Ismail Mohammad.
Instead of continuing to bring up issues with the state government, Johor Public Transport Corporation, Land Transport Public Transport Agency and Transport Ministry, their dilemma could be resolved if taxi drivers took ownership of their livelihoods.
If they have been losing out to e-hailing, which became popular after the MyTeksi app was launched in 2012 and Uber in 2014 using private vehicles, cabbies could switch from driving taxis to private cars without having to obtain a taxi permit.
In fact, many taxi drivers have done so, particularly those who were renting permits from taxi companies or people. Only those who refused or could not adapt to e-hailing continued to drive taxis, but spent most of their time waiting for passengers whom were few and far in between.
Also, there is nothing to stop taxi drivers from joining e-hailing apps if they are willing to accept the same lower fares paid to drivers of private vehicles.
Cabbies are free to charge any amount they wish as long as they are not higher than regulated meter fares.
Y.S. CHAN
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times