Taxi fare hike acceptable if rates reasonable – FOMCA

Malaysia-Taxi-01

Increases in taxi fares will be accepted by consumers, as long as they are regulated by meter and are reasonable, said senior vice president of the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (FOMCA) Datuk Koris Atan.

“The majority of consumers are ready to pay the amounts displayed on the fare meters even if there is a raise. The problem lies with taxi drivers who refuse to use the meter and overcharges passengers,” Koris told TheSun Daily.

Koris cited UK-based website London Cabs, which rated KL cabbies as the worst in the world in a survey last year. He adds that he has taken cabs in over 60 countries but has only been cheated once, unlike back home in Malaysia.

“Just recently, I took a taxi from Puduraya to Brickfields and the driver wanted to charge me RM50 for the journey!” Koris suggested that taxi drivers who break the law be immediately sacked or at the very least have their licenses revoked for such breach of conduct.

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Taxi fares are set to be revised, as part of a plan to streamline taxi operations in the country. A revamp of Teksi 1Malaysia (TEKS1M) is part of 11 initiatives proposed by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD), which will help drivers of these taxis own individual taxi permits.

A senior government official told the local daily that the overhaul will be based on a dynamic fare structure, and may include the installation of new taxi meters with GPS for performance assessment. This rate will only apply to conventional taxis, the source added. App-based services from transportation network companies such as Grab and Uber will not be subjected to the regulated fare rate.

He added that surge pricing – essentially, automatic higher fare rates when the demand for taxis is high – that is currently practised by TNCs will continue to be allowed, and may also apply to conventional taxis. “Consumers will decide which is more attractive to use – conventional taxis or Uber,” he said. In March last year, the government announced new metered taxi fare.

The budget taxi flag-down rate in the Klang Valley remained at RM3 (RM4 in Penang) as before the hike, but time and distance rates were increased to 25 sen for every 200 metres or and/or every 36 seconds. The flag-down rate for Teksi1Malaysia (brown Proton Exora or Toyota Innova) was revised to RM4, with a distance cost of 30 sen for every 200 metres.

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Comments

  • George Abdul on Jul 28, 2016 at 5:49 pm

    Malaysia Government on giving excuses to increase price… BN barang Naik !!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 3
  • hailthepurist on Jul 28, 2016 at 6:15 pm

    Taxi fare hike acceptable if rates reasonable, and drivers available..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 7
    • camtakpro on Jul 29, 2016 at 6:42 am

      They can hike all they want, depends on customer availability.

      inb4 after hike, complain Uber/Grab stole their customer.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Najib only open the market, taximen sendri piang themselves faster like this. Gud gud. Najib dun need them cuz got LRTs, Monorel, MRTs, BRTs, Rapid, HSR. Tun cronies all go early afterlife.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 2
  • Yeay, more reason to use Uber :)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 16 Thumb down 0
  • Taxi kangkong longkang on Jul 28, 2016 at 8:02 pm

    Always reasonable for the profit-hungry businessman and cronies….
    It is never reasonable for general consumers, and forced to fork out extra this and that.

    Taxi service sucks big time as long as I can remember….and now they dare to ask for fare hike???

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0
    • camtakpro on Jul 29, 2016 at 6:44 am

      I hope they increase 100x so they get zero customer.

      Meanwhile Uber/Grab…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Sam VHL Loo on Jul 28, 2016 at 9:17 pm

    According to taik salesperson, taxi fare hike acceptable if rates reasonable, and all Protaik taxi vehicles change to their brand new obsolete Vios and Innova..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • camtakpro on Jul 29, 2016 at 6:46 am

      After fare hike, SPAD will still subrent out lousy Saga to taxi driver, and charge them even higher for the junk.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • trollmaster3000 on Jul 28, 2016 at 11:39 pm

    why the need to raise fare if taxi drivers are already robbing their own passengers..? you stole their belongings, now want raise ahh.. sick bastards..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Tot rate hike was done last year?? At end of day all taxi drivers will become Grab or Uber drivers. and then another vicious cycle will appear…

    FYI. I tried to book Grab from PJ to Mid Valley on a rainy Friday and the fare shown was rm48!! In the end I took a taxi and it cost me half of that!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 3
  • when everyone have bad impression to Taxi driver and go for Uber or grab car for cheaper price and FOMCA is suggest for a hike? what a clever move!?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Yokohama24 on Jul 29, 2016 at 8:15 am

    I’m surprised that the SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT of the FOMCA have no power to take action against the driver or the driver’s taxi company whom he got cheated from.

    That’s it? The Federal of Malaysian Consumers Association’s job is only to suggest? No action taken when the VP himself was the victim?

    Sigh……

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
    • Once they got Datukship, the people no longer become their bosses!!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • The thing is these taxi drivers have a lot to pay from their hard earn money for “owning” the taxi. Why can authorities find ways to reduce operation cost especially for these drivers rather then to increase fare price. On the other hand, yesterday automotive industries complaining that younger people cannot buy a new car because being blacklisted for not paying PTPTN loan, maybe after this the solution is to allow fresh graduate who have been blacklisted can have loan for new car. Instead finding ways to reduce household debt, these people give way to increase household debt (PTPTN+car loan). Why can eliminate some of the car tax? Fewer loan, extra money can pay for PTPTN, lower household debt, win win for both parties?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • sohai on Jul 29, 2016 at 9:37 am

    Ya.. the fare hike is totally acceptable by the public, because we no longer use it.

    Is like I don’t care Shabu price increase 200%, because I don’t use it.

    Bodoh! ada otak ka? Public complain your service poorer than Uber, you go increase price??!!
    Oil price and operation cost no increase, service no improve, what’s the justification for fare increase?!

    When facing competition, people improve services and efficient, and cut price to stay competitive… You increase price??!! You pass basic economics 101 ka??

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
  • IGP mom on Jul 29, 2016 at 10:41 am

    I’ll say again. I took a taxi from Mid Valley Megamall to UiTM Shah Alam. The driver charged me $84! Didn’t bat an eyelid that I’m a student. Dah boleh naik kapal terbang sampai Singapura dengan harga ni!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Gunting kecik on Jul 30, 2016 at 10:21 am

    raise all the fare all they want, charge US dollar if they wish….No body gonna take these lousy taxi anyway…

    Let the taxi drivers sit at road side everday, wait wait wait wait wait for the never-coming-customer until they out of job, and family broken….for their karma.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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