VIDEO: New Mercedes-Benz taxis hit Bangkok streets

[HHTel]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

The service is run by the Department of Transport and taxis can be booked through the Taxi OK app on Android and iOS.

 

[HHTel]

3 hours ago, toolpush said:

That must have been many years ago. I have been in and out of Singapore since 1988 and never saw those Merc taxis

Mid 60's, and they were all black!  When we were going to the town, someone would say "Let's get a fast black".

[todlad]

THE SINGAPORE MERCEDES TAXI

Just out of curiosity, I did a bit of digging into the history of the Singapore taxi.

The last few times I went to Copenhagen, most/all of their cabs were Mercs: the owners got special privileges when buying and selling them so they all had them.

I thought, if anyone else could have Merc taxis, it could be Singapore ... I found this: 

https://remembersingapore.org/2014/10/02/the-evolution-of-singapore-taxis/

Specifically this, right at the end:

 

1990s – The Big Merger

In 1995, CityCab was formed by the merging of SABS, SBS Taxi and Singapore Commuters. A year later, it became the first taxi company in Singapore to launch a luxurious fleet of Mercedes E300 taxis. A 7-seater named MaxiCab was also introduced by CityCab in the late nineties.

[superal]

Just wondering if the boot is empty and the space not taken up with a gas bottle . An empty boot that could take a large suitcase , push chair or wheel chair would be an asset .  

So this project is being run by the Department of Transport who I believe are trying to ease the traffic congestion in Bangkok , with their logic slightly baffling by adding another 5000 cars permanently on the capitols roads .

[mtls2005]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.transcodeglobal.taxiok&hl=en

 

Not sure I've ever seen an app rated so low.

 

Thailand 4.0

 

 

[gjoo888]

Does this mean that these Mercedes taxis can cut off other drivers, never allow you to change lanes in front of them and act like they own the road, like just about every other Merc driver in Thailand does?

[lanista]

16 baht per km seems awfully cheap for new Mercs.

I can see arguements flaring up with drivers &  farangs indians  and chinks who  get overcharged.

The first VIP incident should be just around the corner.

[rooster59]

Mercedes-Benz sedans used as VIP taxis

Nuppol Suvansombut

 

 

BANGKOK, 1st June 2018 (NNT)-All Thai Taxi Co Ltd has revealed it will now operate its first 15 Mercedes-Benz E-350 taxis in an effort to raise its service to international standards. 

 

Department of Land Transport Director-General Sanit Promwong said during the launch of the new VIP taxi service that it was a move to raise the standards of taxi service in the country. 

 

The company wants to cater to business people and those looking for next level comfort and premium service. Passengers can request a VIP taxi directly via a mobile application. 

 

Drivers are also required to have a good command of English to be able to communicate with foreign passengers. Only Mercedes-Benz E-350 cars that are less than two years old and have mileage not over 20,000 kilometers will be used in the service. 

 

All vehicles must be equipped with anti-lock braking systems, airbags, GPS tracking devices, emergency buttons and CCTV cameras. Drinking water, a cold towel, a newspaper, a mobile phone charger and free Wi-Fi will be provided to the passenger in the car. 

 

In the next two months, All Thai Taxi Co Ltd will increase the number of VIP taxis to 100. Passengers will be charged 150 baht for the first two kilometers and 12 baht per kilometer the following kilometers. In case of traffic jams, they will be charged 6 baht per minute. 

 

An additional fee of 50 baht or lower will apply if a request for a VIP taxi is made directly with the company, while a maximum fee of 100 baht will apply for advance reservation and at the airport.

 

 

-- nnt 2018-06-02

[billd766]

20 hours ago, HHTel said:

So if the service is run by the Department of Transport, they can fix the fare at anything they like whilst the rest have to abide by the law!!

 

Incidentally, when I was based in Singapore many years ago, all taxis where Mercs'.

 

Singapore were using Mercedes when I arrived in 1968 and had been for many years. Germany, Holland and Belgium also used them. Some were the 240d Grosser stretched models.

 

Great reliable cars they were and still are.

 

In Singapore them they had black bodies and a yellow roof. The older ones were used as pickup taxis on the main routes.

 

 

[Get Real]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

All vehicles must be equipped with anti-lock braking systems, airbags, GPS tracking devices, emergency buttons and CCTV cameras. Drinking water, a cold towel, a newspaper, a mobile phone charger and free Wi-Fi will be provided to the passenger in the car. 

They forgot the 350 superglued and hanging statues and amulettes, that is a standard equipment in all cars for the reason of "See no evil and Hear no evil and evil will be sure to happen".

Edited June 2, 2018 by Get Real

[watcharacters]

 

 

Germany always used Mercs or Audis when I was there.     

 

Not so very impressive to me.

[overherebc]

15 hours ago, atyclb said:

given the price of that car can it be profitable???  

There will be a re-sale value at the end of use as a taxi, 2 years 3 years whatever and although mileage may be higher it's still a merc for sale. I don't think we will see these cruising all day hoping for a fare etc so will be lower than your standard taxi.

Anyway, new dasboard fitted and re-registered will make a difference.

Do any tax breaks exist if you buy a new car for business only?

[impulse]

21 hours ago, overherebc said:

22 hours ago, todlad said:

This is the 10th post with a comment in it and let me the first to say something positive. I have used All Thai Taxis and had a really good experience. I hope this new level of service works well and all the naysayers here so far never get to use them as they could never appreciate them.

I can see the service working for someone or two guys on business going one office to another and prefering to sit in a comfortable back seat in quietness and not on sticky plastic seat covers suffering the clattering from worn suspension and the noise from a clapped out engine and an after-market loud exhaust.

So for me I think it will work.

 

I, too am pleased to see different price points for nicer/ newer/ bigger taxis.  I wish they'd adjust the rates for all taxis, based on the age, type and size of the car.  That's the only way I can see drivers having incentive to upgrade from some of the clapped out beaters I still experience occasionally.  That said, I'm a fan of BKK taxis in general as some of the cheapest I have found in my travels around Asia.  I'd say I have a favorable experience around 90% of the times I hop in a BKK taxi.  (Got sticker shock recently taking a Malaysian taxi from KUL to KLCC.  Thinking they were all one price, I accidentally got into one of the blue vans instead of the red sedans.  Ouch.)

 

Besides, it's less than $5 on the drop and about $0.50 per km.  I don't know that I'd hire one for a weekend jaunt to Pattaya or K-Buri, but that seems pretty reasonable for getting around in the city.

 

[1337markus]

1 hour ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

Germany always used Mercs or Audis when I was there.     

 

Not so very impressive to me.

It isnt the type of car used in BKK as a taxi, ie Merc the problem is the ratbag driver that wont change.

[janhkt]

If you travel to Denmark, 95% of all taxis are Mercedes sedans.

[Cake Monster]

The Holiday destination Islands of The Canary Islands have had Mercs for Taxis now for over 40 Years

And not just for "VIP " 

Come on Thailand, please wake up and smell the coffee.

[hansnl]

In my experience mercedes drivers are shits everywhere.

7 hours ago, gjoo888 said:

Does this mean that these Mercedes taxis can cut off other drivers, never allow you to change lanes in front of them and act like they own the road, like just about every other Merc driver in Thailand does?

 

[flyingtlger]

Luxury fares as well...Grab works fine for me.

[MartinBangkok]

Why the heck are so many posters talking about taxis in Singapore, Denmark and Germany? This is a thread about a new taxi service in Bangkok!

Anyway, I installed and checked out DLTs new taxi app OK Taxi. Totally crap. Unusable. Deinstalled it right away.

Thai authorities should stay away from any tasks that require know-how..

[holy cow cm]

Good taxi for the robbers to hit. 

[Naam]

On 6/1/2018 at 4:23 PM, overherebc said:

I can see the service working for someone or two guys on business going one office to another and prefering to sit in a comfortable back seat in quietness and not on sticky plastic seat covers suffering the clattering from worn suspension and the noise from a clapped out engine and an after-market loud exhaust.

So for me I think it will work.

 

i agree but the back seats of a C-class are only comfortable for children or "little" people.

[overherebc]

37 minutes ago, Naam said:

i agree but the back seats of a C-class are only comfortable for children or "little" people.

Like an old marital mattress, togetherness is not optional.