Wednesday 13 May 2015

Gangster Driver SHB6723C Clarke Quay

On 10.05/2015, Alfred Gan informs the following:
"My wife and I had booked a maxi-cab to take us from Clarke Quay to Changi Airport , on 7th May 2015, 0720am, as we had lots of luggage. The maxi cab taxi, SHB6723C was assigned to be our taxi that morning. As scheduled, the taxi came, and the driver reluctantly assisted me to place the luggage and boxes into the cab.  
While on the way , he checked with us as to the terminal we were using at the airport. I informed him that as my wife was flying Korean Air & I was flying Singapore, ( I didn't know initially) we were using different terminals. T2 for Korean Air, & T3 for SIA. Taxi driver informed me that the booking was for one stop only and if i wanted to stop at T2 & T3, i have to pay an extra S$10/- on top of the S$50 booking fees. I protested as both terminals were close by. He informed me that normally it would be a S$20 extra and I was lucky that he was asking only S$10! I refused.  
And what happened next was extremely scary. He stopped the taxi , opened the passenger side doors , and he got out of his seat to try to evict us! It was in the middle of a busy road section and it was really dangerous with all the buses and other vehicles weaving about us. Not only was it dangerous, we know with the amount of luggage we had, we would have a difficult time getting it all onto the sidewalk and calling another taxi, let alone one that was big enough to carry our huge bags (that was the reason we had booked a maxi cab the night before). My wife was frightened to tears as he shouted for us to get out of his cab. By then he had opened the trunk to remove our things.  
Under extreme duress, i quickly told him to just drop us at T3 only. He muttered, "thats better". We were terrified and we frentically tried to contact the coordinator whom we had booked this taxi from. She did not reply me even when i pleaded with her to help resolve the matter with the taxi driver immediately.  
The harrowing 15 mins to the airport was extremely traumatic for my wife and I .We were like sitting on the edge of our seats.We breathed a sigh of relief only when we reached T3 without any more incidents. I asked for his I.C but he gave me a receipt and said "go and complain, my details are in the receipt". I told him I would be contacting the police also, and he chuckled,"go ahead". 
I am a Singaporean,now living in Korea. I am totally shock from this incident how this could have happened. I have checked that there should be no extra charges within a 2 KM range and Terminal 2 to Terminal 3 does not exceed 2 km. I hope the authorities can look further into these very traumatizing experience. and that errant taxi drivers should not be allowed to ply the roads. (still distressed after 2 days, whenever i recall the journey)"
This is precisely why we encourage all commuters to not give the benefit of the doubt when faced with these ruffians on the road. Imagine if the many passengers who experienced his escalating behaviour had promptly reported him previously, this idiot would either been scared straight or removed from the roads altogether. This gangster didn't wake up one morning and become so daring -it was a step-by-step, incident-by-incident progression as he became bolder with each instance where he got away with being a crook. Eventually, it has come to a point where he can behave more like a kidnapper rather than a driver and laugh off threats of complaint on such a serious incident. We remind all commuters to immediately go to the LTA online feedback portal and lodge a complaint for all instances of criminal-like behaviour by these drivers so that it isn't your mother or child that eventually ends up in a situation such as this. The cab companies are well known to drag their feet so LTA is the best option, always.

25 comments:

  1. go and complain to lta and comfort taxi..you have the support of many of us

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  2. go and complain to lta and comfort taxi..you have the support of many of us

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  3. I must say first you are at fault for not checking your destination and number of stop before you book a cab. All limo and maxi in Singapore charge extra stop fee no matter how close. Even comfort charge that. If you cannot fulfil the payment citeria of a limo and maxi , please go for 2 normal cab . But the driver had over react and being rude which is not right. Given your encounter, I doubt your statement that driver reluctantly load your luggage as it is a normal practice to do that for guest. All these are no longer an issue if you had confirm your number of stop in the first place prior booking to get the correct quote or agree on the additional amount which is not OVERCHARGING.

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  4. I think both of them are at fault as both driver as well as passenger should have known their limits. My cousin who now works with a DUI lawyer was telling me other day that drivers there are quite courteous and not like here but then how one will react if someone doesn’t pay for their services?

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  5. Just go ahead and make a complaint to Transportation Authority and Airport Authority they can take a action instantly always make sure that you are going to book a registered Airport taxi and have a look to their policies and reservation system ..airport taxi detroit is certified Michigan Airport Taxi company where you feel comfort digital scanning system

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  6. You should clear all the matter about flights to the taxi company before traveling. Our company Detroit airport metro cars provide you term and condition form to avoid such types of difficulties.

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    Replies
    1. I stay very neutral for both side!
      First if the taxi is rude you need to complaint but first of all why is he being rude, everyone must know these? I don't denied taxi driver are service oriented job and have to keep quite even if the passenger(s) is wrong but firstly the passenger that book a taxi, must know what they pay for like what Derrick Ng mention earlier.

      As a passenger they must also do their part in advance as to check their Flight details which terminal they want to go, so that the driver could go straight to the right terminal! Taxi driver are not Super driver where you tell Airline to which terminal! The driver can still help to check by using their smart phone if the passenger agreed but there will be a delay in the timing!

      ** Put it this way you guys try just pop in LTA office and immediately demand an answer on a certain Airline which terminal it is, to see, how the answer?

      In Singapore building, road....... changes all the time unlike oversea! Taxi driver job is to make sure they send the passenger to a destination safely but not to speed on the road or get ridiculous /unreasonable request/scolding from passenger(s)! To be a happy passenger like me, i will always tell the drive which route to take to my destination if possible I will sit beside the driver and direct they there! I don't take taxi all the time if drivers are good I will round it UP for my payment or pay exact if I think is trying to be funny. Everyone is earning a living :) !

      Ms Larina Perez you are promoting your company service is US but here is Singapore. In US your driver depend on tips and in Singapore taxi driver depend on call book to earn extra! Tips is a must in US :)

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    2. Everyone is earning a living in this busy, stress city!
      Off Course the bad one you must complaint!

      ** My suggestion to some passengers why not you go and be a temporary taxi driver and feel the stress these drivers have?

      There is good driver and there is bad driver that goes to passengers! If the driver come across bad passenger where can they complaint? The answer is NO but they have to swallow it!

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  7. Everyone is earning a living in this busy, stress city!
    Off Course the bad one you must complaint!

    ** My suggestion to some passengers why not you go and be a temporary taxi driver and feel the stress these drivers have?

    There is good driver and there is bad driver that goes to passengers! If the driver come across bad passenger where can they complaint? The answer is NO but they have to swallow it!

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  8. I am surprised to read this story. If you hire a registered taxi company. We Detroit airport taxi are a registered taxi company. We always care for our respected customers.

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