Confusion reigns among taxi drivers, passengers

Taxi drivers and passengers are in a quandary over the proposed postponement of the hike in land transportation fares.

Taxi drivers feel that the matter should have been studied carefully before being rolled out while the public are uncertain as to which fare structure they should adhere to.

On March 19, the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) announced a fare increase for taxis of between 20 and 67 per cent but yesterday the government asked SPAD to postpone the move.

A taxi driver who wanted to be identified only as Ong questioned the plan to postpone the fare revision, noting that many taxi drivers had calibrated their meters following the initial announcement by SPAD.

"Why must there be a postponement of the price hike? After all, taxi fares are supposed to be revised after five years. We have calibrated our meters according to the new fares announced by SPAD and we are not going to recalibrate because it is a costly affair," Ong, a taxi driver for the past 17 years, told Bernama.

A taxi driver of 23 years who wished to be known by the name Wan, said he had to spend up to RM150 for the meter calibrating exercise, a sizeable sum for a taxi driver like him.

He stressed that the voice of the taxi drivers needed to be heard as they too had bills to pay and mouths to feed.

A regular taxi user, Khairani Afifi, 23, said SPAD and the Transport Ministry should look at this matter closely so as not to create confusion on the ground.

Any upward price revision should be mirrored in better taxi services, said the university student from Shah Alam.

Meanwhile, Kelab Wartawan Muda Malaysia (KWMM) president Dzulkarnain Taib welcomed the proposed postponement saying that providers of public transport services needed buck up before asking for any price revision.