What's wrong with the cab driver nowadays?

[Passenger]

I have been traveling a lot recently but I noticed a significant dip in the service level from cab drivers.

Last thursday, I booked a cab to bring me to office. The cab driver was going way too fast, and heading towards an expressway (which is the wrong route). I asked the cab driver to slow down and he is heading towards the expressway, he turned and shouted at me, saying he knows the way. I repeated that he is driving too fast and he need to slow down and he shouted at me again. I told him that I am a passenger and I have a right to ask him to slow down and if he is not going to slow down, please let me get off. He stopped right infront of the expressway and asked me to get out there and then.

I called to complaint and I just received an SMS that the cab driver is reprimanded. Can I lodge a police report on this?

Again on Sat, I was in a cab heading to 313 Sommerset. The cab driver made it a big round, by passing the taxi stand and head towards Orchard. I asked why is he not alighting us at 313 Sommerset, he said, that is the back of 313 Sommerset. He is alighting us at Centrepoint, because he is not allowed to alight us infront of 313. I asked, why he don't alight us at the back of 313 Sommerset because thats where we want to go. He insist that the taxi stand is at the back and he cannot alight us infront of 313 Sommerset. His line of argument is completely illogical and he again start shouting that he is dropping us in Centrepoint.

What's wrong with them?

[easylah]

 All taxi drivers are pure Locals, they hate all FTs here. New politics in SG life, blame for everything foreigners, try to read local news and forums, all news full of stories abt poor locals suffering from foreigners.

[same same]

I travel by taxi every day and have found a big change in the drivers.

Fairly often I would get in a taxi and have a very chatty friendly driver, sadly that is not the case nowadays. I use about 4-5 per day and couldn't tell you the last time one was friendly.
I have also been taken wrong ways (never thrown out on an expressway, thankfully) but when this happens I have found most of them will reduce the fare or ask what the usual fare is.
I have noticed that a lot of them seem to have odd little habits when stopped at traffic lights, like playing with the air con, the handbrake etc. I think these are maybe due to boredom and they try little things to keep themselves awake. It probably is not the easiest of jobs.
Try to imagine what it must be like for them. Some of the people in their car will want to talk some of them won't, some of them may speak a different language. A lot of the drivers don't have a great command of English and therefore not confident enough to strike up a conversation. Have you seen the mess left behind sometimes by some passengers, I really don't think it is an easy job to do and so many people speak down to them and are rude.
I have kind of got used to having rude drivers now but if I do get a friendly one am pleasantly surprised. I feel very sorry for tourists tho:-(

I am not excusing their rudeness at all just trying to explain.

[$Pripps]

Can't say I have seen any difference in rudeness, the one thing I have noticed is that there a lot more who don't speak English than nine years ago when I got here. Sometimes you get somebody nice and friendly, I usually then give them a tip because I get so surprised.

Sure I can understand that some people are forced to become a cab driver out of necessity, but it doesn't mean they need to take that out on innocent passengers.

[Vocal local yokel]

Never thought the day would come when us foreign talent would complain about foreign talent drivers. People in glass houses.... really.

[Addadude]

Never thought the day would come when us foreign talent would complain about foreign talent drivers. People in glass houses.... really.

Foreign talent can't become taxi drivers. Only Singaporeans can. So don't worry - this forum hasn't gone off track: it's still expats criticizing locals!

[Long time SG]

I've been a daily user of SG taxis (when not out of SG, obviously) for coming on 14 years now.

There has been no change overall in drivers.  I think they speak English better now, maybe.  I recall getting a driver in 1998 or so who, an old Chinese guy, who could not speak any English.  At all.  I had a printed out address and it was somewhere simple and yet he still had to pull over and ask a passerby to translate for him.

Other than that, all over the page since day one.  Some chatty ones, some quiet ones, some drive slowly and carefully and some drive fast and badly.  Some go the wrong direction sometimes.

[opposite]

Well I have mostly got much better service over the past two years!  Just two days ago,my car couldn't start on East coast carpark so I had to take a taxi.  He overheard my conversation and offered to jump start it.  Went through lots of trouble ot do that. Unfortunately the battery was totally flat.

My main gripe these days is that they all seem to want to take the highways to go anywhere when just the normal road would do.  (most likely as the highway means more $$ for them)

Just remembered another one, they all would claim to know routes ot avoid the ERP but really what's the point when the passenger avoids ERP charges but pays more for the taxi fare!  (once again greed on their part).  So be clear about the route before they drive off.

[working_mom]

I have had similar experiences. One of the worst driver I faced was a guy who started the taxi before my 5 year old could get in. She was left stranded and he actually scolded her for being slow!! I had to restrain myself from smashing his face off! 

[Passenger]

I have had similar experiences. One of the worst driver I faced was a guy who started the taxi before my 5 year old could get in. She was left stranded and he actually scolded her for being slow!! I had to restrain myself from smashing his face off! 

I have encountered several cab drivers who start driving before the doors are closed. I do not think this is acceptable and the problem is, they don't think they are at fault!

[I had one]

drive off yesterday with half my shopping on the back seat. Good job I live in a dead end street! I thought it was quite funny afterwards, just thinking what I must have looked like:-)

Driver was a sour puss tho

[jalanperak]

Other than that, all over the page since day one.  Some chatty ones, some quiet ones, some drive slowly and carefully and some drive fast and badly.  Some go the wrong direction sometimes.

This has been my experience as well. There's always been a wide variation in personalities, driving styles, etc.

As an aside, the OP sounds local. I'd have to be here a lot longer than 14 years before I'd use terms like "bring me to office" and "alight me."

[intime0]

I had just the opposite yesterday.  I had someone pick me up on Upper Thomson Rd. Take me home. My daughter and I were going to go shopping on Orchard.  I asked him to wait.  She was already outside waiting.  She ran over got in and he said, is this all?  I asked him to wait again to make sure my oldest daughter was coming back from her walk to watch her sister. 

He waited patiently. When I got in he asked if I was ready.

I gave that man a tip.  I have no idea if they are allowed ot keep them or if that's even kosher.  But he was so nice and thoughtful to my children. 

If you have children that don't like it when you leave, they are like a swarm of bees giving you hugs and kisses and asking when you will be back. LOL

[Colour Me Confused]

I had just the opposite yesterday.  I had someone pick me up on Upper Thomson Rd. Take me home. My daughter and I were going to go shopping on Orchard.  I asked him to wait.  She was already outside waiting.  She ran over got in and he said, is this all?  I asked him to wait again to make sure my oldest daughter was coming back from her walk to watch her sister. 

He waited patiently. When I got in he asked if I was ready.

I gave that man a tip.  I have no idea if they are allowed ot keep them or if that's even kosher.  But he was so nice and thoughtful to my children. 

If you have children that don't like it when you leave, they are like a swarm of bees giving you hugs and kisses and asking when you will be back. LOL

You do know that taxi drivers are self employed, right?   Why would they not be able to keep their tips?   You mean you have NEVER tipped your taxi driver before???

[intime0]

I'm from small town, rural Oklahoma.  We don't have taxi drivers.  Nope, I thought they all worked for a company.  I figured they got to keep a percent of what they earn.  But wasn't sure about tips. 

I do tip drivers when I feel like they get me there quickly. LOL.  And not purposely go the long way.  I usually just tell them to keep the change.

But I had paid with Visa that day and dug out all my change from my purse to give to him.

So glad for this lesson.

Let me ask you this...do you tip manicurists, hair dressers and wait staff too.  I always have, but again, I've had people tell me that they don't do that over here.  So I don't know.