Report recommends taxi fare increases, strict regulation of rideshare companies

By The Nation

 

 

Taxi fares should be adjusted every two years and a “travel time” surcharge should be added based on time spent in traffic, according to the Thai Development Research Institute (TDRI) in a statement issued on Thursday after recent public hearings into industry problems.

 

A recent TDRI study found that limitations in the cost structure and business operations of Thai taxi services have hurt safety, service quality and maintenance.

 

The TDRI also proposed that app-based rideshare companies (or transportation network companies, TNCs) should also be legalised with strict conditions. 

 

The backgrounds of taxi drivers should also be screened, the report said, and there should be training in proper customer service, and drivers should be evaluated through a point system.

 

Transport and logistics expert Sumet Ongkittikul, who heads the TDRI team making policy recommendation for the Department of Land Transport (DLT), said the current taxi fare should add a “travel time” surcharge of 50 satang per minute to be levied once the journey exceeds an estimated travel time.

 

To ensure that consumers benefit from TNC, while maintaining fair competition with standard taxi services, the report called for four measures:

 

1. That TNC operators be required to register and obtain a public transport licence from the DLT and pay related taxes.

 

2. That personal cars that provide rideshare services should be required to register for public transport use and obtain a specific insurance policy to cover passengers.

 

3. That TNC drivers be required to obtain a public transport driver licence as required for traditional taxi drivers. 

 

4. The supervision of fares to ensure service operators do not take advantage of passengers. 

 

Conventional Thai taxi services have been subjected to complaints over quality issues, such as vehicle conditions and unacceptable behaviour by some drivers, including refusing passengers’ fare requests and overcharging fares.

 

The arrival of TNC rideshare companies such as Uber and Grab present a competition threat. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30347777

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-6-14

20 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

2. That personal cars that provide rideshare services should be required to register for public transport use and obtain a specific insurance policy to cover passengers.

Well they better start with ensuring the Taxis have it first

Not so long ago a woman was left with a hefty bill, in which she was lucky the Go Fund Me page paid off 

24 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

A recent TDRI study found that limitations in the cost structure and business operations of Thai taxi services have hurt safety, service quality and maintenance.

They have had rises & nothing has changed

A self-serving report if I ever saw one.  I suspect this report was actually funded by the taxi drivers.  However, they really charge whatever the market will bear now so posted price increases are useless.

Hard to find a taxi that wants to use the meter. It's almost like the 'old days' when one had to bargain for each destination.  The meter was supposed to resolve all of this but we are back to square one. They still refuse to go to certain destinations at certain times and refuse to use the meters.

 

While I sympathise somewhat with the Taxis that the price is too low- there has to be come system in place to benefit both the drivers and the public.  Uber has been run out of town because they were too much competition-but they provided a good service and professional drivers.  Grab appears viable- but why don't the affected drivers sing up. As soon as the prices increase- the system works for a short while but then the same problems come back.

 

Bangkok traffic is the culprit and it has gotten worse due to many reasons including more and more vehicles entering each day; poor law enforcement and simply not enough road space. I say let the taxi rates go up to 50 Baht entry; so much for waiting time; and an increase per Kilo or simply get rid of the meters and go back to the old barter system.

 

The real solution is to put into a Singapore type system- which restricts  private vehicles in the inner city. Never going to happen- Mr BMW; BENZ or other Hi So riding in a bus or the Skytrain- Forget about it!!

Are passengers fully insured under the existing Taxi's insurance? 

Recently a badly injured passenger had to pay £35k for medical expenses due to a Bkk taxi accident !

The meter already calculates stoppage in traffic time, does it not?

How about strictly enforcement to use the meter before talking about a price increase...

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Report recommends taxi fare increases, strict regulation of rideshare companies

Increase in fares may be one thing,  how about strict regulation of taxis too?

 

How about with the fare hike they actually test the drivers! Their skills and temperament are often suspect.

The Transport Ministry continues to tell Thailand what they think should happen but the Taxi Mafia

is just too strong for them & (or) the police.

The rip offs & cheating continue unabated

On 6/14/2018 at 8:11 PM, snoop1130 said:

A recent TDRI study found that limitations in the cost structure and business operations of Thai taxi services have hurt safety, service quality and maintenance.

Nothing to do with the drivers and owners, then? What a typical Thai BS report. 

Each Thai taxi should have a inside dashcam recording footage that could be stocked with the authorities,  on the driver's actions and behaviour.

 

This is the only way to make them start to go by the rules.