Poll – Most commuters dissatisfied with passenger vans and taxis

[webfact]

Poll – Most commuters dissatisfied with passenger vans and taxis

 

 

Most commuters have complained about the poor service provided by passenger vans, citing rudeness, reckless driving and the poor condition of the vehicles. People who use taxis said they have had bad experiences with cabbies refusing to pick up fares.

 

The above findings are from an opinion survey, conducted by the Land Transport Department in August, to gauge the opinion of the public about public transport services, specifically taxis, passenger vans and motorcycle taxis. The findings will be used by the department in its consideration of improvements to public transport services, which will ensure fairness for both the service providers and the commuters, said the department head Mr. Thanee Suebruek on Wednesday.

 

Results of the survey regarding passenger vans show 49% of the respondents want improvements in the condition of the vans, while only 12% said they were satisfied with the vehicles’ condition. 46% disapproved of the performance of drivers against 17% who gave them a thumbs up and 43% who said they dreaded using their services.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/poll-most-commuters-dissatisfied-with-passenger-vans-and-taxis/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-09-19

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[Justgrazing]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

and 43% who said they dreaded using their services.

" why you scare .. me no scare " 

 

[Golden Triangle]

Not sure if Uber & Grab are legal yet but perhaps the Land Transport Department could use this to allow these private providers to operate legally without threats from the Taxi & van mafia. 

[StayinThailand2much]

Vans and taxis? Try the skytrain... (Took these photos this morning.) This enterprise IMHO is a disgrace! A big money spinner due to high demand, but with little money reinvested.

 

Edited September 19, 2019 by StayinThailand2much

[nikmar]

4 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Vans and taxis? Try the skytrain... (Took these photos this morning.) This enterprise IMHO is a disgrace! A big money spinner due to high demand, but with little money reinvested.

i use the sky train everyday and it has steadily got more difficult to use due to overcrowding. I find my dself leaving earlier and earlier for work in the morning in order to travel in some degree of comfort. 

I do have to wonder though, just what did commuters do before it was built.

[genobkk]

17 minutes ago, nikmar said:

i use the sky train everyday and it has steadily got more difficult to use due to overcrowding. I find my dself leaving earlier and earlier for work in the morning in order to travel in some degree of comfort. 

I do have to wonder though, just what did commuters do before it was built.

New extensions have made it much worse.  The MRT is mush worse with 3 car trains running every 5 min at Rush hour.  Extra train carriages need to be added to both, MRT needs to run more frequently.  Just imagine when all the new routs go online, it will be unusable unless platforms are expanded and longer trains used 

[trainman34014]

How many times do we have to read or hear adverse comments about Taxi's and Mini Buses before anything is done about them ? This will go on forever unless the Cops and Government get serious and start using heavy handed tactics to get things sorted.  Sadly i don't think it will ever happen, so the misery will continue.

[Nyezhov]

i have no problem with the crowding on the trains. i have no problem with taxis. I hate the vans.

[wotsdermatter]

12 hours ago, nikmar said:

I do have to wonder though, just what did commuters do before it was built.

We used the bus, which was worse than the Sky Train is now, used our motorcycles, walked, if the distance was not too far, and in the rainy season stayed home and phoned in sick.

'nuf sed.

[300sd]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

The findings will be used by the department in its consideration of improvements to public transport services, which will ensure fairness for both the service providers and the commuters, said the department head Mr. Thanee Suebruek on Wednesday.

 

Possibly Mr. Thanee Suebruek should sample these services himself. He certainly would not need a survey if he did. What do you mean by "fairness to the service providers?"

 

Having them drive properly with good quality equipment and courtesy should not be asking too much! "Properly" is the key word...I hope I'm not being too unfair.

 

 

 

[Deli]

Like the Grab Bike ( Win ) if it's not raining. Fair deal.

[Crusader]

Using taxis in Bangkok is a 'pot luck' affair.  Sometimes it takes 5 or 6 before one agrees to take us, and other times the first one is on the ball. Taking taxis 8 - 10 times a week means we get to meet all sorts of drivers, from the complete scumbags who should not be taxi drivers - to the absolute gentlemen (and ladies) who are polite, knowledgeable and a pleasure to be driven by.  Unfortunately, it goes at a ratio of about 10:1 in favour of the scumbags.  

[Shiver]

I'm not in BKK, I'm "up north" but I really like Grab.  They're cheaper than taxis, better maintained, and they come to you.

The worst here are TukTuks, the most expensive, most dangerous, most uncomfortable.  I shake my head in amazement that the best of the three is the most economical.  Sometimes I wish people would buy a Grab monthly contract rather than a Yingluk car promotion that they're going to have repossessed.  When I first 'got off the boat' here I was counting scooters and it was a bike:car ratio something like 20:1.  If you were wealthy and could afford a car in cash then you could actually use it, and be as snooty as you like.

 

Looking at the BTS pics above, straight away I can see design efficiencies that could have been employed before the plan was set in stone.  A bit late now though.  Maybe the decision makers could take a trip to Tokyo to learn how its done.

Hope the BKK Submarine works better when it's water world.

Edited September 20, 2019 by Shiver

[berrec]

As they say, nothing new to see here and nothing is going to change.

 

Same old, same old  ..... not sure why time and money is wasted on useless surveys that we all know about the results already regarding transport shortcomings in Bangkok.

 

if I am cynical forgive me but I would put money on it that in 12 months time it will get worse not better.

 

 

[scorecard]

17 hours ago, nikmar said:

i use the sky train everyday and it has steadily got more difficult to use due to overcrowding. I find my dself leaving earlier and earlier for work in the morning in order to travel in some degree of comfort. 

I do have to wonder though, just what did commuters do before it was built.

Years back, before the BTS, it was much worse, with hundreds of black smoke spewing old un-airconditioned rattler buses jam packed with passengers plus many passengers hanging on to the outside of the bus with their armed wrapped around the posts that hold the windows.

 

In those days a few air-con routes did exist (not that many) also with passengers jammed inside like sardines but way too expensive for a very large % of commuters. 

 

In those days both air and non-air buses rarely stopped in the left land, they routinely stopped in the centre lane (Petchaburi Rd a good example) but vehicles in the lanes closer to the footpath didn't stop meaning that bus passenger got off in the center lane and dodged / ran their way through fast traffic until they got to the footpath, including women and children. 

Edited September 20, 2019 by scorecard

[reargunnerph3]

Only get in a van if you have a death wish and expect to be ripped off in most taxis with no meter used or a dodgy meter used.

[30la]

Thanks to these characters, they are largely responsible if tourists don't want to come!

Edited September 20, 2019 by 30la

[catch104]

Taxi fare is way too low to make a living. I've been here for 28 years and discussed this numerous time with taxi drivers. Sure some are hopeless but if you starve the peoples, good ones will just quit, and the other will do whatever is necessary to survive. Put some official fair rate that enable honest drivers to make a decent living, then law can be enforced strictly. Van, mafia organised system. Must seriously be tackled. The problem is the ones making the law are the one who benxxxx ??? , so why shoot yourself in the foot. BTS/MRT, well, unless you have a strong city policy that does not bend to private interests and that can have master plan over the years integrating all the different system, this will hit the wall very soon

[Henryford]

Using a taxi, anywhere, is always my last option.

[Nyezhov]

36 minutes ago, reargunnerph3 said:

Only get in a van if you have a death wish and expect to be ripped off in most taxis with no meter used or a dodgy meter used.

Ya know dude, thats simply ignorant BS, there are thousands of taxis here in BKK, how many  are a problem if you know what you are doing, where you are going and the way to get there?

 

99% of my rides go fine and Im in a taxi 3-4 x a week or more. The evil taxi driver stories are getting so old, and frankly, if some dude from Yasothon with a second grade education gets the better of me for more than 5 baht (you know like that little trick they have to take you a bit past your destination for two extra Baht) well then it sucks to be me, I wont tip him and Ill call my accountant about the 15 cents.

 

I heartily agree that the Vans suck.

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

43% who said they dreaded using their services.

Speaks volumes, but what can you do when no-ones listening !

[rocketdave]

I tend to speak as I find. I use a taxi most days, I can drive, motorbike and car, but when out I enjoy a beer or five so always taxi home. I live in Pattaya and use a taxi firm near Soi 6 and have used them for three years for local and airport runs. I've always had good service and reasonable prices, which is more than I can say about UK taxis!

[kevin612]

I am very satisfied with grab, I don’t believe the taxi and tuktuk.

[MaxLee]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

Poll – Most commuters dissatisfied with passenger vans and taxis

Not only dissatisfied, which is an understatement. Passengers are also in danger of being innocent bystanders in possible taxi turf wars against Grab and co....

[Road Warrior]

from my experience it is the idiot Thai driving particular the stupid van drivers .

[Lethal]

14 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

i have no problem with the crowding on the trains. i have no problem with taxis. I hate the vans.

Taxis are crooks

[Odisan]

2 hours ago, Crusader said:

Using taxis in Bangkok is a 'pot luck' affair.  Sometimes it takes 5 or 6 before one agrees to take us, and other times the first one is on the ball. Taking taxis 8 - 10 times a week means we get to meet all sorts of drivers, from the complete scumbags who should not be taxi drivers - to the absolute gentlemen (and ladies) who are polite, knowledgeable and a pleasure to be driven by.  Unfortunately, it goes at a ratio of about 10:1 in favour of the scumbags.  

I think the longest we waited was 2-hours to get a taxi home. This was before they brought in the law saying taxis had to take passengers wherever they wanted to go.

Never had to wait anywhere near as long after the law was passed, but we weren't getting a taxi from that same part of the city. Taxi drivers still said no, though.

[elgenon]

I thought the extensions to the BTS would be good for me. I could easily see and frequent more of Bangkok. It never dawned on me that it would create more crowding. 

[reargunnerph3]

1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:

Ya know dude, thats simply ignorant BS, there are thousands of taxis here in BKK, how many  are a problem if you know what you are doing, where you are going and the way to get there?

 

99% of my rides go fine and Im in a taxi 3-4 x a week or more. The evil taxi driver stories are getting so old, and frankly, if some dude from Yasothon with a second grade education gets the better of me for more than 5 baht (you know like that little trick they have to take you a bit past your destination for two extra Baht) well then it sucks to be me, I wont tip him and Ill call my accountant about the 15 cents.

 

I heartily agree that the Vans suck.

I'm in Pattaya and most taxis here refuse to use a meter and dude I've used taxis in Bangkok and some were fine others didn't want to take me because I wanted the meter used. Not ignorant BS just the facts dude.

[Classic Ray]

The BTS are investing heavily in new rolling stock from both Turkey and China, with some cars now half standing half seating to reduce overcrowding.

 

The extensions are causing overcrowding, but this will be eased by the introduction of new services like the Pink and Yellow Monorails, the Blue Line extensions, the Red Line, the Orange Line etc. 

 

The services suffer by their popularity. Better buses could be introduced and minibuses rather than vans for the feeder services.

 

More could be done on the roads with better engineering, studies of black spots for delay, and better parking restrictions and congestion charging.

 

i see a bright future for Bangkok if government continues to support transport improvement and starts to move some infrastructure into the provinces.