Rare Toyota Corolla SE Cab
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
News: SMRT impose a $5 sucharge for taxi rides in F1 areas
SMRT to implement S$5 surcharge for taxi rides from areas in F1 race vicinity
By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 20 September 2008 1739 hrs
SMRT taxis will be implementing a S$5 surcharge per trip during the F1 Grand Prix period - for pickups in 14 locations in the race vicinity.
These include Suntec City, hotels around the Marina area, Hitachi Tower, Centennial Tower, Peninsular Excelsior Hotel, Millenia Tower and Funan DigitaLife Mall.
The surcharge will be in effect from 10.30pm to midnight on September 26 and 27, and 9.30pm to midnight on September 28.
SMRT said the move is to meet the expected increase in demand for taxis after the races.
For those taking public transport, SMRT said 960 additional train trips will be introduced on both the North-South and East-West lines on race days.
Train services will also be extended till 1.30am on these days.
By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 20 September 2008 1739 hrs
SMRT taxis will be implementing a S$5 surcharge per trip during the F1 Grand Prix period - for pickups in 14 locations in the race vicinity.
These include Suntec City, hotels around the Marina area, Hitachi Tower, Centennial Tower, Peninsular Excelsior Hotel, Millenia Tower and Funan DigitaLife Mall.
The surcharge will be in effect from 10.30pm to midnight on September 26 and 27, and 9.30pm to midnight on September 28.
SMRT said the move is to meet the expected increase in demand for taxis after the races.
For those taking public transport, SMRT said 960 additional train trips will be introduced on both the North-South and East-West lines on race days.
Train services will also be extended till 1.30am on these days.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Service Ambassadors driving the 300C
More on the SMRT Chrysler 300C Taxi
Quoting again from the ST article '...driven by "service ambassadors" instead of regular cabbies.'
I think it is dangerous for SMRT to use the word service ambassadors. For a premium flagdown and booking rate that cost as much as George Bush spent for the Iraq war, Singaporean especially will be inclined to think that they should be treated like a King when they engage this kind of service.
Perhaps the service ambassadors need to open the doors for the VIP...i mean passenger before boarding and when the passenger is alighting or to help the passengers unload the shopping bags from the boot, or so.
The fact is that is the cabbies, yes, no matter what, I would still call them cabbies, be willing to do that. If not, then there is no point charging a premium price for service.
Quoting again from the ST article '...driven by "service ambassadors" instead of regular cabbies.'
I think it is dangerous for SMRT to use the word service ambassadors. For a premium flagdown and booking rate that cost as much as George Bush spent for the Iraq war, Singaporean especially will be inclined to think that they should be treated like a King when they engage this kind of service.
Perhaps the service ambassadors need to open the doors for the VIP...i mean passenger before boarding and when the passenger is alighting or to help the passengers unload the shopping bags from the boot, or so.
The fact is that is the cabbies, yes, no matter what, I would still call them cabbies, be willing to do that. If not, then there is no point charging a premium price for service.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Why I don't want to take the 300C cab anymore?
While anticipating for the cab to be here is one thing, now I am not sure whether I want to flag down the Chrysler 300C cab, no thanks to SMRT.
(Refer to the newspaper article on the previous post)
A flagdown of $5.00 compared to a flagdown of $3.20 for a Merc LimoCab and $2.80 for normal cabs, this is just ridiculous.
Quoting the article:
'SMRT clearly wants to position the 300C - which many say resembles a Bentley - as a premium taxi....driven by "service ambassadors" instead of regular cabbies.'
Ya, I know that many says it resembles a Bentley, but as many also knows that it is not a Bentley, so why should I pay a Bentley premium for something that 'looked like but in reality is not a Bentley'
We all know that Mercedes makes one of the best suspension in the world, we all know that some of the best brands for mass produced cars like Merc, BMW and Audi all comes from Germany We also all know (if you don't, now you do) that a Chrsyler 300C Petrol variant cost less than a E200 Kompressor Petrol variant Mercedes Benz ($165k vs $174k)
(Prices from www.sgcarmart.com as on 27 Aug 08)
So for something that cost less, SMRT is charging more rental ($139 instead of $124 for Merc) to its drivers which in turns, because they want to attract drivers to drive this fleet of Limo cabs, passes the cost of the commuters. So, now you know who is profiting from this? I dont mind when one party is earning money from a deal, because that is business, but this like penalising commuters who wants to take the cab.
The next time you see people flagging down cabs, when the 300C comes along, they will not raise up their hands.
If SMRT is positioning this to appeal to companies, rather than commuters, then they could have charged more for booking fee instead of raising the flagdown rate. Because if a company wants the cab, they would not send someone to flag it down.
(By the way, the booking fee of $10 is $2 more than Mercedes Cab of $8 already).
If a $0.30 diesel or CNG surcharge on the starting fare make a difference, imagine how much difference can a $1.80 surcharge make?
(Refer to the newspaper article on the previous post)
A flagdown of $5.00 compared to a flagdown of $3.20 for a Merc LimoCab and $2.80 for normal cabs, this is just ridiculous.
Quoting the article:
'SMRT clearly wants to position the 300C - which many say resembles a Bentley - as a premium taxi....driven by "service ambassadors" instead of regular cabbies.'
Ya, I know that many says it resembles a Bentley, but as many also knows that it is not a Bentley, so why should I pay a Bentley premium for something that 'looked like but in reality is not a Bentley'
We all know that Mercedes makes one of the best suspension in the world, we all know that some of the best brands for mass produced cars like Merc, BMW and Audi all comes from Germany We also all know (if you don't, now you do) that a Chrsyler 300C Petrol variant cost less than a E200 Kompressor Petrol variant Mercedes Benz ($165k vs $174k)
(Prices from www.sgcarmart.com as on 27 Aug 08)
So for something that cost less, SMRT is charging more rental ($139 instead of $124 for Merc) to its drivers which in turns, because they want to attract drivers to drive this fleet of Limo cabs, passes the cost of the commuters. So, now you know who is profiting from this? I dont mind when one party is earning money from a deal, because that is business, but this like penalising commuters who wants to take the cab.
The next time you see people flagging down cabs, when the 300C comes along, they will not raise up their hands.
If SMRT is positioning this to appeal to companies, rather than commuters, then they could have charged more for booking fee instead of raising the flagdown rate. Because if a company wants the cab, they would not send someone to flag it down.
(By the way, the booking fee of $10 is $2 more than Mercedes Cab of $8 already).
If a $0.30 diesel or CNG surcharge on the starting fare make a difference, imagine how much difference can a $1.80 surcharge make?
Here comes Chrysler cabs
From Sept 1, SMRT will be rolling out the first of its Chrysler 300C taxis (below) .
With a flag-down rate of $5, itis the most extravagant taxi here, outstripping even the luxury Mercedes Benz E-class cabs' flag-down of $3.20 by over 50 per cent.
To book the 300C costs $10, with the advance booking charge set at $20.
SMRT clearly wants to position the 300C - which many says resembles a Bentley - as a premium taxi that is a cut above the rest, driven by "service ambassadors" instead of regular cabbies.
The 300C was produced by the now demerged DaimlerChrysler. it is based on an old Mercedes E-class platform.
SMRT Taxis vice-president, Mr Lo Chee Wen, said: "SMRT believes that our Chrysler 300C taxis would offer corporate visitors both locally and from abroad a new choice of travel.
Meanwhile SMRT said that it would start imposing a 30-cent fuel surcharge for its compressed-natural gas cabs from Sept 1.
With the move, 11-month-old Prime Taxiswill be the only cab operators - identifiable by its bronze coloured cabs - that is not levying a fuel surcharge.
Prime Managing director Neo Nam Heng said the company will take another poll among its drivers before deciding whether to follow the rest.
Christopher Tan
The Straits Times, 27 Aug 2008
Home, Pg B3, Middle Right.
With a flag-down rate of $5, itis the most extravagant taxi here, outstripping even the luxury Mercedes Benz E-class cabs' flag-down of $3.20 by over 50 per cent.
To book the 300C costs $10, with the advance booking charge set at $20.
SMRT clearly wants to position the 300C - which many says resembles a Bentley - as a premium taxi that is a cut above the rest, driven by "service ambassadors" instead of regular cabbies.
The 300C was produced by the now demerged DaimlerChrysler. it is based on an old Mercedes E-class platform.
SMRT Taxis vice-president, Mr Lo Chee Wen, said: "SMRT believes that our Chrysler 300C taxis would offer corporate visitors both locally and from abroad a new choice of travel.
Meanwhile SMRT said that it would start imposing a 30-cent fuel surcharge for its compressed-natural gas cabs from Sept 1.
With the move, 11-month-old Prime Taxiswill be the only cab operators - identifiable by its bronze coloured cabs - that is not levying a fuel surcharge.
Prime Managing director Neo Nam Heng said the company will take another poll among its drivers before deciding whether to follow the rest.
Christopher Tan
The Straits Times, 27 Aug 2008
Home, Pg B3, Middle Right.
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Do remember to bookmark the page as you will not want to miss out any updates.
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