Yesterday, The Star reported that taxi drivers are being fined by the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) for not adhering to the code of uniform set for them, with the CVLB chairman Markiman Kobiran the Government is serious in enforcing the regulation on uniforms and there would be a continuous crackdown to discipline taxi.
The offences include not wearing socks, not tucking in their shirts, wearing dark brown shoes and off-white shirts instead of the "formal wear" – black shoes and white shirts.
While I understand that taxi drivers have their dress code and professional conducts to adhere to, I guess it’s fair for the CVLB to compel them to dress well in order to project a professional image, otherwise certain punitive measures would be taken against them, where is a norm in any other corporations.
In this case, they’re being fined between RM100 and RM300. Fine, you break the rules, you pay for it.
However, what’s amused me is actually the way CVLB prioritizes cases when comes to putting up a higher standard for taxi drivers, especially when many of them are infamous of overcharging tourists (and locals too), being rude to passengers, decline to take you to the destinations, reckless driving, continuous traffic offending behavior and etc.
As this has been a well-known issue for as long as I can remember, however, instead of addressing this pressing concern, once again, the Government made the wrong move and being overzealous by taking inappropriate action on less serious offences at the wrong time, with taxi drivers without proper uniforms are being made the easy targets and scapegoats.
Furthermore, we’re still celebrating Visit Malaysia Year 2007 and as the campaign has been extended till Aug 31 next year under the "One Golden Celebration" campaign, the Government must implement proper measures immediately as we can’t afford to put the country’s image at stake due to some notorious drivers.
Also, be it CVLB or Tourism Ministry, they don’t have to go far (E.g. Neighboring countries such as Singapore, Thailand and even Indonesia!) to study how’s the taxi system should work as on par compared to them (if not better!) and deserved to be called as alternative public transport without the hassle and unnecessary trouble.
Meanwhile, some "complaints" found through googling, which I thought might serve as a reference material for anyone up there overseeing the taxi operation in Malaysia.
#1
I am blond-haired, blue-eyed and, anytime I am in Kuala Lumpur centre and hail a taxi, they attempt to rip me off. Or, they snarl that if I don’t know how to get to my own destination, then get out.Marybeth Ramey, an American who has lived in Malaysia since 1998, laments about the taxi drivers.
#2
How about we locals who get ripped off one too many times, eh? It is common knowledge that a 2 minute taxi ride around town will set you back RM10, unless you are lucky to get a few of the taxi drivers who are scrupulous enough to use the metre. As it should be.
Blogger Suanie, who blogged about the bad and ugly side of taxi drivers.
#3
Overcharging by taxi drivers and traders, stinking cabs and poor knowledge by unsmiling frontliners have marred Malaysia’s image among Arab tourists.
Feedback from Arab travel agents
#4
Now Malaysian Taxis already have a very bad reputation for not using the meter and ripping people off when it’s raining/jammed/late or for other random reasons not even picking up passengers (too near/wrong race/too far/don’t know how to go etc).
I’ve never loved Malaysian cabs due to the amount of times I’ve had to give directions for every freaking turn to the taxi driver.
HELLO IT’S YOUR JOB TO KNOW WHERE EVERYWHERE IS, AT LEAST ROUGHLY, IF NOT BUY A FUCKING ROAD MAP AND LEARN TO USE IT.Blogger ShaolinTiger on a more serious note of how much he loves Malaysia’s taxi services
#5
KL is quite boring for me and my family, expecially when compare with our previous trip to Japan. But the bad experience with taxi and service made us confirmed that this is our last trip to KL.AkE from BKK, Yahoo! Travel – Users Rantings & Reviews on Kuala Lumpur
Moreover, getting a cap is also not that easy. Most of the taxi drivers are not going to charge you on meter, you must talk to them before you get on the cap. Remember!!!!
Eric from Singapore, Yahoo! Travel – Users Rantings & Reviews on Kuala Lumpur
#6
When I told them my destination, they quoted RM30. Did we look like tourists? Maybe. [...]
The cabbies then shouted their counter-offer (RM20). I used hand signals to tell them that I was willing to offer only RM15. They asked me to cross the road. [...]
I read that London cabbies went through very strict tests before they are allowed to drive cabs. I have used London taxis before. They did not pick and choose destinations and they did not try to fleece me. I am not sure whether they had socks on.Blogger Tengku Mohd Ali Bustaman a.k.a Pokku sharing his pain trying to find a taxi in Penang
Not convincing, still?
You might as well resign or retire for good, appoint me to sit in your chair and I’ll prove to you what’s cakap serupa bikin.
Related posts:
[...] The “real” taxi problem in Malaysia » This Summary is from an article posted at MageP’s Lab on Monday, September 03, 2007 The [...]
As everyone can see, our Third World mentality lies not just with the taxi drivers. The problem is compounded by the authorities as well. For the most part, taxi drivers are allowed to misbehave and overcharge with impunity and the the CVLB comes up with an exercise to implement the dress code strictly. Why do we have to negotiate with taxi drivers before getting into a taxi? How come they don’t use the meters they have installed? What do we do with taxi drivers who are rude, or those who threaten passengers to the degree of extortion?
Yah, Doesn’t it feel better to be rip off by a well dressed taxi driver? Don’t forget we are Malaysian and we are happily raped by these bureaucrats day and nite inside and out, so live with it!
Bad experience ….They even increase the fare 20% during Merdeka eve and Merdeka…
Yes I agree, once I ran all the way back at night from IKEA back to Mutiara Damansara because no taxi was willing to fetch me the short distance. They charged me RM10!!!!! I was determined not to be ripped off, so I said no, and ran back all the way myself (got construction site n foreign workers there)
Hey, I’ve got an idea!
Let’s do a No Taxi Campaign for a month. Since these people are already so notorious for their service, and there’s no enforcement of the regulations, we citizens have to take matter into our own hands.
Or put up a website that features Black Listed Taxi Drivers.
It is a culture problem, nobody can help us unless all the people change. Yes, I mean people, not just the taxi drivers.
I was in KLCC with my family trying to get a cab back to the hotel (Meria KL). We took a cab from times square to KLCC costing only RM8, i assumed its around that price as well heading back. Since it was in the evening, we spent only around an hour plus there before we decided to head back. We went to Suria KLCC entrance taxi stand. There were a bunch of taxi drivers (all Indians) and i approached one to let him know where we wanted to go. He said since there are 5 of us we need two taxis and going to Meria Hotel. He told me the ride is RM25 (multiply by 2 would be RM50). Imagine that! It wasn’t even 10pm, i don’t even want to know if it was past midnight! I was like hey that is too expensive. I’ve paid RM8 to get from Meria to KLCC. He was like its evening now and the price has changed. He was saying Malaysian government has imposed new rates bullshit. I was getting all fired up so i told him when i took the cab it is in the evening, just an hour ago and it was RM8. I told him its impossible and its too expensive. Then he was shouting at me about how i can’t even afford to pay my ride back to hotel. Ok tell me if i’m wrong for saying this. I told him "25 DOLLARS" is too expensive. He told me its not in dollars its in Ringgit (very rudely). So of course i can’t keep my mouth shut ( i do not know why) and i told him its the same damn thing. 25 dollars or ringgit. It meant the same thing. Which here caused the rest of them to team up (around 5 of them) against me 1 (a girl). He was saying its not the same thing. So i told him off by saying dollars in malay means ringgit. By this time i’ve realised its so childish and point less so i walked away. Then they went on raving how i am so uneducated, how i don’t even know the difference between ringgit and dollars. Seriously, i think they are the uneducated ones because they have to resort to driving people around for a living. And to have to say ringgit like its such a big currency out there. The need to emphasize on the difference. I really don’t know what will happen to me if i’ve said that to them. Don’t intend to find out unless i have supre big bodyguards. However after some short distance walking In the end i got us a cab which costs around RM8 and it was a malay cab driver. I’m really sorry if any of my words upset anybody because i don’t mean to insult or discriminate. Just sharing my experience.
Yup! Road rage victim here. A nice Friday morning of 30 November 2007 ~ 7:35am. After dropping off a friend at the Kelana Jaya LRT station, I turned back into LDP (south bound), checked traffic with signals & all.
Turning a curve where the road splits with a flyover (1) checked for on-coming cars – no cars, good (2) signal right to turn into middle lane to get on the flyover (3) gradually cut into the middle lane ……. WHOA! Suddenly there’s a taxi behind me flashing & honking. The driver must have drove pretty fast as I did not see the taxi earlier prior turning into the middle lane.
Startled, I could only maintain my position (1/3 into the middle lane @ ~50km/h), while the taxi squeezed past honking at me. Upset, I honked back & woe-&-behold, the taxi does an emergency brake in front of me. …….. I’m driving a 1.3 auto – how fast can I go?, especially after the scare.
Odd – the taxi was being driven like it’s being chased by hell, now it’s decided to play a tortise game – slowed down drastically trying to pi*s me off. Again, how fast can a 1.3 auto go (without momentum) ?
So, tum-de-dum, I followed it’s rear but another fear crept up in me – what if this guy is a serious nut case who will attack me ? Too many cases had been highlighted especially after a lady was reported kidnapped from her office yesterday (around the corner from where I work) ……..
Luckily the taxi sped off after Kelana Jaya Giant shopping centre. Whew! But still, my heart was pumping real fast.
Managed to note down some taxi details – HB 9328 Red & White proton vehicle. Tried to log this case with the relevant ministries / service industries but no luck (some sites provided links to lodge complaints but "Proxy error", "Web page not found").
I agree – enforcement is EXTREMELY lacking while the focus is on trifle issues. I wouldn’t mind if the taxi drivers don’t look good as long as the basic service is fulfilled. When Malaysia has got the basics right, then would we look on cosmetic improvements.
I think the CVLB is missing the point by "being serious" (even for this, we have to be convinced?) about implementing the regulations regarding the taxi drivers’ uniforms. There are many other and more serious issues besetting the rotting reputation of the taxi industry that can tarnish the reputation of our country. The uniform is certainly not one. If it is, it ranks somewhere at the pit bottom. Can the CVLB chairman Markiman Kobiran even understand this?
Our taxi drivers are supposed to use their meters which they often don’t, citing "meter rosak", the near distance, the lack of customers, traffic jams, etc. Only God knows the rationale of some of their ridiculous excuses. If we disagree, we may be threatened with bodily harm, especially if we are already in the taxis. Isn’t this a more pressing issue that the CVLB should address?
Why is it necessary to "negotiate" with the taxi drivers before getting into a taxi? Taxis are supposed to get us to our destinations at a rate measured by the compulsory meters installed in them. Is this not the system the CVLB sees it? Though tourists who look Caucasian are the ones commonly ripped off, the locals are victims on many occasions too.
Why do many taxi drivers position their taxis in front of "lucrative locations" like shopping malls and other well patronised locations and then choose their customers? They need to just rip off a few customers who are in a hurry, or who do not know the actual rate or who are intimidated into paying the "extorted" rates.
The driving habits of taxi drivers leave much to be desired too. Speeding (on the pretext of not making enough to earn their keep), not signalling their intentions and queue-cutting (this seems to be their most common sin) are some of their most obvious road etiquette misdemeanours that can turn ugly if the other drivers don’t give way.
Some taxis are really dirty and smelly inside. The drivers claim that they have no time to clean their cars because they are renting on a shift basis. The taxi is being used 24/7 until it breaks down because the owner (who may not even be a taxi driver himself!) wants maximum returns from his vehicle.
For many years now, the CVLB have resorted to various plans to "catch" the culprits who are siad to be giving the taxi industry a bad name but as all goverment plans go, the are only hangat-hangat tahi ayam. Nothing substantial has been done and we are back to square one. The CVLB needs to make some noises to show that their officers are doing something "serious" to support the Visit Malaysia Year. And they have chosen to implement the drivers’ uniform! Bravo!
Bet your last dollar that this will taper off too.
But what I am most disappointed is the lack of an integrated approach to the problem to tackle the problem as a whole instead of addressing an insignificant part of the big problem. If your vehicle behaves as though it is going to break down and your mechanic advises you to change a tyre, how do you feel? That mechanic is the CVLB.
Pak Lah, you said you have big ears. Now, do listen to this from all the long-suffering citizens.
WHY TAXI DRIVER YET TO DETERMINE THE TAXI RATE CHARGES?
Posted by: jensitaim, 12-Oct-2006
I would like to bring the attention to the public despite of what government rules, there are a group of taxi drivers at Kelana Jaya LRT who decided to fix the rate charges instead of using meter. Eg, from LRT to Kelana Business Centre, rate is fix at RM5.00. And they have their own community. Those taxi drivers who are not belong to there "click", the taxi community there will chase them out. This thing has been ongoing for sometimes. Even though we have alerted the LPKP, yet there is no action to it. Hope the righteous authority will take action to the "click of taxi driver" which stationed themselves at Kelana Jaya LRT station.
Comments:
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I just took a taxi from Kelana Jaya LRT station to Taman Bukit Mayang an hour ago, I was charged an extravagant RM6 for a mere 5 minutes ride. It is less than 1 km short trip. I want to confirm the comment above that there is a ‘click’ of taxi drivers at the station who decide the rate. When I insisted on using the meter, several of them stood up and told me the charge is fixed at RM6 and no way I can bargain. I asked to reduce it to RM5 instead and all of them just don’t bother me. It’s a take it or leave it. As I have really no choice and no say, I just have to agree. It seems like the taxi drivers are really daring to group up together by not using the meters. When I asked why not use the meter, they replied nonchalantly, ‘Waiting taxis charges are fixed, Taman Bukit Mayang rate is RM6. You want to pay RM5 can, unless we drop you at Dataran Prima.’ Well, they win this time and more times to come, unless of course, the authority take steadfast action.
By cheesjen, 26-Dec-2007
Source The Star Online : http://blog.thestar.com.my/comments.asp?id=6843#comment
When you’re in KL, I recommend Saparee 013-2115302
Friendly, funny, knowledgeable, speaks English
Charges RM35/hour for 0 – 5 hours; RM30/hour for 5 – 10 hours; RM25/hour for 10+ hours
that includes waiting and tolls
Tell him Ruth from Washington or Maria from Los Angeles sent you
I sit here pondering whether this would have any significance or impact? What the hell……
I am writing now, a few moments after the incident (4:30pm)
At around 3:15pm; After my friend dropped me off from office, I saw a yellow coloured taxi waiting by the Star LRT station in masjid jamek.
I opened the door and the obese taxi driver gave the "who the hell are you look", when I told him; the destination. He nodded and I got on the passenger seat next to him.
His meter was stil running at RM5.30 when he moved 2 paces forward; I told him in bahasa that his meter was running. He goes ‘ Oh…. and then reset it back to for hire status".
As we moved forward along the round about joining Jalan Meru, I told the driver that it’s too hot (since his air-condition was struggling); and asked him to turn it off and ushered him to draw the window down.
As I turned towards my door to gear the window down, the man shouted out in Malay " Hello friend, we now going slow so the aircon won’t work". Just as he finished his sentence, to I found the window knob in my hand detached.
I looked shocked turning towards him! The stupid thing was glued on!!
He looks at me infuriated and yells, " Where you from!!!"
I reply pissed, "Orang Malaysia LAH!!"
I quote: "You bukan orang malaysia lah, memang Pakistan…. kalau orang Malaysia bukan korang ajar" Translation: – “You are not Malaysian, you must be from Pakistan, hence why you are ill mannered", the cab driver geld.
I felt so intimidated, mind you this guy is like 4 of me put together, and I think I’m over weight!!
Intimidated, I yelled back; "Stop this taxi right now; I have had enough of you!"
I stopped muttering, "Ill-mannered" in Bahsa.
While he was stopping I was looking for a driver identification card – none. I opened the door first to make room for my escape, with intention to pay him as I was out but before I could step out he grabbed my arm and said "PAY!"
I quickly took my wallet out and paid him 2.50 and stepped out.
I was on the side of the Jalan Meru highway. Smack in the middle.
The obese animal sped off, before I could gather my thoughts to take down his car lisence number.
I walked the entire Jalan Kuching till I could see The Mall. Crossed the road and walked up to a small hill to join into an intersection.
I WALKED all the way to Jalan Ipoh cursing all yellow cabs.
===============
I am a lawyer:
- Professional Misconduct
-Battery
-Verbal assault
-Racist slander
> Anymore to add?
I am a proud Malaysian with a paternal Arabic decent. I may look like a middle eastern, but that’s not how you should treat a foreigner or local regardless.
I am deeply offended, thinking; this is where my tax money goes??