Taxi Fare Cheats

Dr Janil Puthucheary asked the Minister for Transport (a) how many cases of complaints were received for cheating taxi drivers of fares in the first six months of this year; (b) how does this figure compare to the number of complaints lodged during the same period over the past five years; (c) in the last five years, how many people have been convicted of cheating taxi drivers of fares under the Public Transport Council Act; and (d) what steps are taxi operators taking to ensure the process of seeking claims or redress is not too complicated and cumbersome for taxi drivers.

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Sir, the Public Transport Council (PTC) and Land Transport Authority (LTA) received 32 complaints of passengers failing to pay taxi fares in the first six months of this year.

Between January 2008 and June 2011, complaints of non-payment of taxi fares averaged 10 every year. Following an effort by the taxi operators and the National Taxi Association to encourage taxi drivers to lodge reports against taxi fare evaders, the number of complaints rose to 66 in the six-month period from July 2011 to December 2011.

In the last five years, only one serial taxi fare evader has been convicted under the PTC Act. Two other cases are currently pending Court mention.

To simplify the process of seeking claims and redress, taxi operators have a standard form for their drivers to lodge reports on non-payment of taxi fares. Some taxi operators also accept electronic submissions. After the reports are lodged, the taxi operators will then assist their drivers to recover the unpaid taxi fare from the passengers, failing which they will refer the case to the PTC and LTA for investigation.

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