Recovering.. >.<
Posted on: Monday, February 11, 2008
Posted at: 10:15 PM
Hey everyone, its been days since i last blogged.
Anyway, Chinese New Year was totally awesome. Went visiting around and had a bountiful harvest. Whether or not what i received was more or less than what i have gotten last year, it really doesn't matter to me. I am really happy to be blessed!
Seeing my relatives, grandparents, and friends makes me feel happy too!
Anyway, i'm sick as of a few days ago. Hahs. And yes, its during the Chinese New Year period as well. Had this throbbing headache, bad sorethroat and two gigantic ulcers on my lip. So it was pretty awful.
But well, thank God, because now i just have a slight fever, and currently recovering from the above-mentioned. Valentine's Day is coming up and Chingay as well. Can't wait for it i must say. Hahas.
After this entire week, it will be a time/period of mini rest for me because there won't be any big events for now. So yups.
And yesterday, my relatives all came over to my place for dinner and Cindy came as well. I wasn't feeling too good because of the high fever i was having. So well, in the end, everyone came to know about it, and they really treated me well. Covering the blanket for me, wiping my body for me and etc etc. I mean, i was really so touched by what Cindy and Alvin were doing for me, and as well as the concern of the others who were there.
I guess, what i had experienced was a portion of God's love for me as well. Imagine, how great God's love can be when His love for all of us is infinite. Yups. Well, tomorrow i will have to go back to work and reach by 7. How sad eh?
Hahas. Oh wells, i hope that by tomorrow, i will feel even much better and get ready for Chingay and Valentine's Day. After which, i can get a well deserved rest perhaps. Hahs.
Alrights, shall blog till here then. *tataX*
Taxi.. Sighs
Posted on: Friday, February 1, 2008
Posted at: 10:41 PM
Hi all, as stated on the title of this entry, i am going to blog about taxis in Singapore from my own personal point of view.
My friend takes the taxi everyday, to and fro home and Charcoal. As such, i will always hitch a ride from him especially since i stay near him. To Charcoal, there will always be plenty of empty taxis around. But from Charcoal, there will always be plenty of empty taxis but 95% of which with the on-call sign shown.
Now that makes me ponder. The taxi association has stated that there are more than enough taxis on the road to meet consumer demands. But how come, i still see long queues at the taxi stands in TOWN?
Shouldn't there be more taxis in town more than anywhere else? And mind you, its not just one taxi stand with long queues, but its practically every taxi stands in town that had long queues. There were plenty of taxis but most with the on-call sign shown.
Maybe you must be thinking that many people called and booked for the taxis thats why there are many on-call taxis. But seriously speaking, out of the corner of my eye, i watched this comfort taxi going to and fro the area that we were waiting WITH the on-call sign.
You mean to tell me that the taxi driver could not find the person who booked the taxi? Obviously, he was waiting for the chance to get a booking so that he can earn an additional $3.50. Yes, perhaps this happens frequently on weekdays at night. But really, using such ways and means to earn $3.50 is too much.
If you don't call a taxi and make a booking, you may even need to wait for more than 30 minutes just to get a taxi. I even witness this situation whereby this taxi driver does not have his on-call sign lighted, and this guy on the street was waving for him and yet ignore him despite the fact that it was so obvious.
Another scenario was when this taxi driver saw a passenger waving for him, drives to him, and then drives away without even talking to/picking up the passenger.
To take a taxi in town area at night on weekdays, be prepared to pay $2.80 (flag down rate) + $3.00 (CBD surcharge) + $3.50 (booking fee) = $9.30 excluding the ERP Charges along the way and the meter fare to your destination.
So think twice before getting a taxi. I feel that its more worth it to take a bus or a train instead.
I guess its enough of ranting about taking taxis in Singapore. I feel that the relevant authorities should step out and do something about this issue before it affects the image of Singapore pretty badly especially when you have tourists touring the city at night and whom definitely requires a taxi to travel around.
Below is the taxi fare charges for SMRT Taxis, which is similar to the rest of the taxi service providers such as Comfort, Transcab, and etc.
Fares
|
Basic fare | Standard Taxi |
|
| Flag-Down (inclusive of 1st km or less) | $2.80 |
|
| Every 385 metres thereafter or less up to 10km | $0.20 |
|
| Every 330 metres thereafter or less after 10km | $0.20 |
|
| Every 45 secs of waiting or less | $0.20 |
|
The following additional charges may be applicable:
| | Midnight surcharge | |
| | Midnight – 5.59 am | 50% of metered fare |
| | | |
| | Peak hour surcharge | |
| | Monday - Friday : | 7.00am to 9.30 am | 35% of metered fare |
| | Monday - Saturday : | 5.00pm to 8.00pm | |
| | Not applicable on Sundays and Public Holidays | |
| | | |
| | Public holiday surcharge | |
| | From 6.00 pm on the eve to midnight of the following public holidays : | $1.00 |
| | - New Year's Day. 1st and 2nd Day of Chinese New Year, | |
| | - Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali, Christmas Day | |
| | Where the above holiday falls on a Sunday and the following Monday is a holiday, the Public Holiday Surcharge will be payable up to midnight of Monday | |
| | | |
| | Central Business District (CBD) surcharge | |
| | Monday - Saturday : 5.00 pm to midnight | $3.00 |
| | Applicable for all trips starting from CBD area. Not applicable on Sundays and Public Holidays. The CBD Surcharge is payable on top of the Peak Hour Surcharge. | |
| | | |
| | Location surcharges | |
| | Changi Airport and Changi Air Freight Centre | |
| | - Friday - Sunday from 5.00 pm to midnight | $5.00 |
| | - At all other times | $3.00 |
| | Seletar Airport | $3.00 |
| | Singapore Expo Centre | $2.00 |
| | Location Surcharges are applicable at the point of boarding | |
| | | | | |
| | Booking fees | | Standard Taxi |
|
| | Monday - Friday | 7.00 am to 9.30 am | $3.50 |
|
| | | 5.00 pm to 11.00 pm | | |
| | At all other times including Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays | $2.50 |
|
| | Advance Bookings (at least half an hour in advance) | $5.20 |
|
