Malaysian taxis among the worst in the world

[Raikonen]

Poll: Malaysian taxis among worst in world

http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/9253/1/


"from the poll's 200-odd respondents, comprising expatriates from 30 countries, even went so far as to brand local cabbies "a national disgrace", "a source of national shame" and "a serious threat to tourists - rude bullies and extortionists".

Anyone care to validate this alleged fact? Haven't taken a local taxi for ages....

[pcyeoh]

Just to give you what our taxi drivers are being rated, these are the 5 areas as listed below. On a 10-point scale (10 being the best) this is how we are measured against our friendly neighbour down south. Notice that our score values is also bad luck to us as well and Singapore is fatting all the way.

1. Taxi quality (Malaysia score 3.8 Singapore scores 8.6)
2. Courtesy of drivers (Malaysia score 4.4 Singapore scores 8.0)
3. Availability on the street (Malaysia score 4.4 Singapore scores 8.1)
4. Availability by phone (Malaysia score 4.8 Singapore scores 8.8)
5. Driver job knowledge (Malaysia score 5.5 Singapore scores 8.7)

Two hundred odd respondents comprising expatriates from 30 countries living in Malaysia took part in the survey. Our Malaysia My Second Home (M2SH) resident in my precinct Chris Fletcher who have gone back to Australia once was helping out in the Expat magazine would give all the Malaysian taxi drivers zeros all the way. Lucky for Malaysia, I understand he did not take part in the survey or else lagi merosot..

[Jey]

I had a BAD experience just the other day. Wanted to get a Taxi to go to Phileo Damansara from Jalan Bandar (near Petaling Street) and the driver wanted RM 12 for it. It normally only cost me around RM 5 most to most. His reason being, he has to come back to the same spot and he is charging for both ways, even though Im travelling one way only. How about that? Extortionists and daylight robbers.


I just jumped onto the LRT and headed to AsiaJaya, then hopped onto a taxi there to Phileo. I made a mental note to write to the authorities, but wondering if they would EVER do anything about it.

[USJ27Resident]

Anyone care to validate this alleged fact? Haven't taken a local taxi for ages....

Alleged FACT? hahaa... good one...

Why do you think local people still prefer to drive than to take a cab?

Try taking one from Subang Parade to Sunway Pyramid... I BET YOU the meter in the cab is ...
1. Rosak
2. Rosak
3. Decorative accessory
4. Rigged! Tampered!!
(multiple choices)

Never (ever) take a cab from a taxi stand/corner... where the drivers congregate... you're "just" asking for it....


ps. I oso predict this thread is gonna be quite popular...

[Jey]

That's where I tried to get one the other, day. from a stand where they are congregating one with another, whiling their time away until a hapless victim arrives.


I used to feel sorry hearing about cabbies getting mugged and all kinds of treatment from the bad hats..... now I dont feel that anymore.

[Raikonen]

1. Taxi quality (Malaysia score 3.8 Singapore scores 8.6)
2. Courtesy of drivers (Malaysia score 4.4 Singapore scores 8.0)
3. Availability on the street (Malaysia score 4.4 Singapore scores 8.1)
4. Availability by phone (Malaysia score 4.8 Singapore scores 8.8)
5. Driver job knowledge (Malaysia score 5.5 Singapore scores 8.7)

Shouldn't compare with a developed country. Spore taxis service are consistently good, at least the ones i take.

We should probably compare with countries like Indon,Thai or Viet...Even the thai taxis dun have so much problems...What is the source of the our local taxis' rating? Too low the fares?? Taxi driver cultural characteristics?

[rachel sj]

Just last week I wanted to get a cab from Berjaya Time Squares to Corus Hotel (opp KLCC) to catch a coach to Singpaore, waited for almost 20 mins and the cabbie asked for RM20 !! got so angry decided to hoop on the monorail, stopped at Wisma Genting and walked through KLCC to get to Corus....

When I arrived in Singapore, thier cab drivers are much polite, it's easy to get a cab there and THEY RUN THIER METERS...what a shame...

[Jey]

yes i agree with you 100% rachel. It seems to be a common experience with our cabbies. What a shame. I sometimes hear of illegal congregating especially at LRT stands where if there are some outsider cabby who brought his passenger to the LRT station, he will NOT be allowed to pick up passengers from that stand on his way back as the passengers there are "solely" their customers it seems, like they have a right.


I have heard cabbies getting into fistfights due to this outsider cabby getting passengers at their controlled area.

[rachel sj]

yes i agree with you 100% rachel. It seems to be a common experience with our cabbies. What a shame. I sometimes hear of illegal congregating especially at LRT stands where if there are some outsider cabby who brought his passenger to the LRT station, he will NOT be allowed to pick up passengers from that stand on his way back as the passengers there are "solely" their customers it seems, like they have a right.


I have heard cabbies getting into fistfights due to this outsider cabby getting passengers at their controlled area.

barbaric acts ! do you know who is the relevant authority to complain about cabbie problems ? apart from the exp charges, one of my lady frds got molested by a taxi drive last week...have asked her to lodge a police report...

[kelvinwkw]

Polis kata jangan, jangan compare....
hehehehe

[Jey]

I think its JPA (Jabatan Pengangkutan Awam)

[AllUrban]

I think its JPA (Jabatan Pengangkutan Awam)

JPA is Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam. As far as I know there is no Jabatan Pengangkutan Awam.

But soon we will have SPAN - Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Negara (National Public Transport Commission)...let's hope it doesnt turn into "SPAM"

Cheers, m

[pcyeoh]

Shouldn't compare with a developed country. Spore taxis service are consistently good, at least the ones i take.

Come on. Why not Singapore? It is not comparing our infrastructure or facilities. The 5 areas we are talking about are 1.Taxi quality 2. Courtesy of drivers 3. Availability on the street 4. Availability by phone and 5. Driver job knowledge. These are areas which is the basic expectation of taxi commuters. We are not talking about GPS, excellent highways or even internet access. The problem lies with the attitude of the drivers most of the time. We can have the best of best taxi system but if the drivers have this poor attitude with no customer service, we will still be rated very lowly. There must be a quantum leap or paradyme shift should we want to revamp our taxi system. It will never work with Operasi This or Opersasi That campaigns.

[xweird]

I think taxi fares should be increased, and the taxi permits hoarding by select individuals should be abolished.

Only then we can have good taxi services.

[twohands]

in order for the situation to improve, there first must be strict enforcement of the law. if there's barely any enforcement, then we, as passengers, can report all we want, all the time, and still, nothing will change.