Great idea! Just one number to remember when calling for cabs!
But 10 seconds before the call is routed to another cab company? What a joke!
Those who have called for cabs know that we definitely need more than 45 seconds to even get through.
Obviously such policies are set by the very people who never call for cabs! Hahaha!
Oh yeah....Dun forget calling for a cab is NOT FREE! There is a booking fee, surcharges, different starting price etc. And this varies from taxi company to company.
Not all taxi companies are created equal!
--------------------------------
The Straits Times
17 July 2008
Need a taxi? Just call 6-DIAL-CAB
ONE telephone number is all you need to remember if you need to call a taxi from next week.
Call 6-3425-222 or tap out the alphabetical prompter 6-DIAL-CAB.
The initiative is part of a transport masterplan announced early this year to make commuting a lot easier. It arose from feedback from cab customers - especially tourists - who cannot remember the numbers for the half a dozen taxi firms here.
It is, however, not a super dispatch system that can scour Singapore's taxi population of 24,000 to locate an empty one nearest to you. By using the common number, commuters are channelled to all the taxi firms' call centres, one at a time.
If the first cab operator's call centre does not take your call in 10 seconds, the system diverts you to the second one, and then the third. If the third call is unsuccessful, you will be asked to try again. If you do, the system will recognise it is your second attempt and connect you to the next three call centres.
Asked if the new common number system would be replaced by a 'smarter' system in future, the Land Transport Authority said no. 'The common taxi booking number system is a permanent facility to make it easier for taxi commuters to book a taxi,' a spokesman said.
The LTA roped in SingTel to develop the system, for $90,000.
Ms Tammy Tan, spokesman for ComfortDelGro, whose fleet makes up 60 per cent of the cab population, noted that Singaporeans were quite familiar with the firm's taxi booking number. 'There is, however, one group of commuters who may be confused with the different taxi booking numbers and they are the tourists. For them, the common booking number will be of help.'
Commuters who are familiar with the numbers of the various operators can continue calling them directly.
-------------------------
The Straits Times
16 July 2008
Booking a taxi? Just call one common number from July 21
BOOKING a cab will be a breeze from next Monday. Taxi commuters will just have to call one common number - 6342 5222 - or remember 6-DIAL CAB.
The move, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Tuesday, is to make it easier and more convenient for taxi commuters, especially tourists. The common taxi booking number will complement the taxi companies' call booking systems, which will continue to be in use.
A commuter who makes a call to the common number will have access to up to three taxi companies' call centres.
The call will first be routed to one selected taxi company's call centre. If the lines there are busy, the call will automatically be re-routed to another taxi company's call centre. The call will be terminated only after three attempts to route the call is unsuccessful.
The new initiative was included in the Land Transport Master Plan announced early this year.
'It provides commuters with an additional avenue to book a cab. With the common number, commuters will be able to book a taxi from any of the taxi companies by calling 6-DIAL CAB,' said a statement from LTA.
Ms Tammy Tan, ComfortDelGro Corporation Group Corporate Communications Officer said: 'Many Singaporeans are already familiar with ComfortDelGro's taxi booking number, 6552-1111. 'There is however one group of commuters who may be confused with the different taxi booking numbers and they are the tourists. For them, the common booking number will be of help.'
Added Mr Lo Chee Wen, Vice President of SMRT Taxis: 'The new common call booking number for taxis is an added way in which we can serve commuters, on top of SMRT's call booking number 6555 8888. We welcome it and are happy that commuters now have another convenient manner to reach us when they are in need of a taxi.'
Mr Lim Chong Boo, Managing Director of Premier Taxis said the move would help visitors to Singapore who may be unfamiliar with how to get a taxi.
Welcoming the additional option, Chief Executive of SMART Automobile Pte Ltd, Mr Johnny Harjantho said its drivers will stand to gain from an increase in phone bookings to the company.
Commenting on the move, Mr Seng Han Thong, adviser to the six Taxi Operators' Associations, said LTA had consulted the associations on the feasibility of a common booking number and they supported it because it would bring more bookings.
He added: 'Singaporeans will also benefit from it as they only need to remember one telephone number to call and as the chances of them getting a taxi in a shorter time will be higher as the system will forward their booking requests to the next available taxi company. These would translate to more call bookings and thus, higher earnings for our taxi drivers.'
---------------------------
Today
17 July 2008
One line, a few kinks?
COMMUTERS, who will find themselves paying 30 cents more from today on ComfortDelGro cabs, could also encounter new hassles in calling for a cab, when a common booking number meant to increase convenience kicks in.
At least three other taxi operators will also roll out the 30-cent fuel surcharge over the next two weeks: Premier Taxis from next Thursday, Trans-Cab from July 28 and Smart Taxis from Aug 1.
This could prove a minor drawback come Monday, when commuters will be able to access multiple taxi companies’ call centres with a single phone call to: 6-DIAL-CAB (6342 5222).
It will make booking a cab more convenient, especially for tourists unfamiliar with the six operators’ hotline numbers, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA). Each operator’s unique booking hotline will remain in use.
The new service works this way: If a call to Company A goes unattended for more than 10 seconds, it will be routed to Company B, then Company C. If none of the three attend to the call, the system will inform the caller that all lines are busy.
If the commuter tries again, the call will be routed to the other three cab companies. The hotline also allows callers to cancel their bookings.
But local commuters point to reasons why they would hesitate to jump on board the scheme immediately.
For example, with only some companies imposing the fuel surcharge for now – and not all at the same time – many would prefer to book with a surcharge-free operator.
And is the 10-second time limit before a call is re-routed too short? After all, at peak hours, it is not uncommon for one to be put on call-waiting for several minutes before the call is attended to.
Advertising manager Adeline Lu, 26, said: “It will be 30 seconds for three companies. I have a feeling I might need to dial and dial again.” She plans to stick with a single company’s hotline number during the busy period.
Premier Taxis’ managing director Lim Chong Boo said the time-limit was something the authorities and operators had discussed; callers also would not want to be kept on the line too long. “We won’t know the exact situation until it’s done and we get feedback,” he said.
Another issue: Calls are allocated to companies based on their market share of call bookings in the last three months – meaning calls will likely be routed first to the one with the lion’s share. Would this put smaller players at a disadvantage?
Trans-Cab’s general manager Jasmine Tan said it would mean “proportionate allocation”. “If we only have a fleet of 2,000 cabs, even if you give us more bookings, we cannot fulfill,” she said.
Mr Lim said in theory, the scheme sounds fair “but we won’t know until it’s been enforced”. If the company finds its market share of call bookings affected, it will step up promotion of its own hotline number.
Local hotels, however, agreed tourists would benefit. While Royal Plaza on Scotts hands all guests a card with taxi numbers listed, the common number would be handy when they are in a rush or “do not want to wait in a queue”, said director of rooms Alphonso Conceicao.
But 10 seconds before the call is routed to another cab company? What a joke!
Those who have called for cabs know that we definitely need more than 45 seconds to even get through.
Obviously such policies are set by the very people who never call for cabs! Hahaha!
Oh yeah....Dun forget calling for a cab is NOT FREE! There is a booking fee, surcharges, different starting price etc. And this varies from taxi company to company.
Not all taxi companies are created equal!
--------------------------------
The Straits Times
17 July 2008
Need a taxi? Just call 6-DIAL-CAB
ONE telephone number is all you need to remember if you need to call a taxi from next week.
Call 6-3425-222 or tap out the alphabetical prompter 6-DIAL-CAB.
The initiative is part of a transport masterplan announced early this year to make commuting a lot easier. It arose from feedback from cab customers - especially tourists - who cannot remember the numbers for the half a dozen taxi firms here.
It is, however, not a super dispatch system that can scour Singapore's taxi population of 24,000 to locate an empty one nearest to you. By using the common number, commuters are channelled to all the taxi firms' call centres, one at a time.
If the first cab operator's call centre does not take your call in 10 seconds, the system diverts you to the second one, and then the third. If the third call is unsuccessful, you will be asked to try again. If you do, the system will recognise it is your second attempt and connect you to the next three call centres.
Asked if the new common number system would be replaced by a 'smarter' system in future, the Land Transport Authority said no. 'The common taxi booking number system is a permanent facility to make it easier for taxi commuters to book a taxi,' a spokesman said.
The LTA roped in SingTel to develop the system, for $90,000.
Ms Tammy Tan, spokesman for ComfortDelGro, whose fleet makes up 60 per cent of the cab population, noted that Singaporeans were quite familiar with the firm's taxi booking number. 'There is, however, one group of commuters who may be confused with the different taxi booking numbers and they are the tourists. For them, the common booking number will be of help.'
Commuters who are familiar with the numbers of the various operators can continue calling them directly.
-------------------------
The Straits Times
16 July 2008
Booking a taxi? Just call one common number from July 21
BOOKING a cab will be a breeze from next Monday. Taxi commuters will just have to call one common number - 6342 5222 - or remember 6-DIAL CAB.
The move, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Tuesday, is to make it easier and more convenient for taxi commuters, especially tourists. The common taxi booking number will complement the taxi companies' call booking systems, which will continue to be in use.
A commuter who makes a call to the common number will have access to up to three taxi companies' call centres.
The call will first be routed to one selected taxi company's call centre. If the lines there are busy, the call will automatically be re-routed to another taxi company's call centre. The call will be terminated only after three attempts to route the call is unsuccessful.
The new initiative was included in the Land Transport Master Plan announced early this year.
'It provides commuters with an additional avenue to book a cab. With the common number, commuters will be able to book a taxi from any of the taxi companies by calling 6-DIAL CAB,' said a statement from LTA.
Ms Tammy Tan, ComfortDelGro Corporation Group Corporate Communications Officer said: 'Many Singaporeans are already familiar with ComfortDelGro's taxi booking number, 6552-1111. 'There is however one group of commuters who may be confused with the different taxi booking numbers and they are the tourists. For them, the common booking number will be of help.'
Added Mr Lo Chee Wen, Vice President of SMRT Taxis: 'The new common call booking number for taxis is an added way in which we can serve commuters, on top of SMRT's call booking number 6555 8888. We welcome it and are happy that commuters now have another convenient manner to reach us when they are in need of a taxi.'
Mr Lim Chong Boo, Managing Director of Premier Taxis said the move would help visitors to Singapore who may be unfamiliar with how to get a taxi.
Welcoming the additional option, Chief Executive of SMART Automobile Pte Ltd, Mr Johnny Harjantho said its drivers will stand to gain from an increase in phone bookings to the company.
Commenting on the move, Mr Seng Han Thong, adviser to the six Taxi Operators' Associations, said LTA had consulted the associations on the feasibility of a common booking number and they supported it because it would bring more bookings.
He added: 'Singaporeans will also benefit from it as they only need to remember one telephone number to call and as the chances of them getting a taxi in a shorter time will be higher as the system will forward their booking requests to the next available taxi company. These would translate to more call bookings and thus, higher earnings for our taxi drivers.'
---------------------------
Today
17 July 2008
One line, a few kinks?
COMMUTERS, who will find themselves paying 30 cents more from today on ComfortDelGro cabs, could also encounter new hassles in calling for a cab, when a common booking number meant to increase convenience kicks in.
At least three other taxi operators will also roll out the 30-cent fuel surcharge over the next two weeks: Premier Taxis from next Thursday, Trans-Cab from July 28 and Smart Taxis from Aug 1.
This could prove a minor drawback come Monday, when commuters will be able to access multiple taxi companies’ call centres with a single phone call to: 6-DIAL-CAB (6342 5222).
It will make booking a cab more convenient, especially for tourists unfamiliar with the six operators’ hotline numbers, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA). Each operator’s unique booking hotline will remain in use.
The new service works this way: If a call to Company A goes unattended for more than 10 seconds, it will be routed to Company B, then Company C. If none of the three attend to the call, the system will inform the caller that all lines are busy.
If the commuter tries again, the call will be routed to the other three cab companies. The hotline also allows callers to cancel their bookings.
But local commuters point to reasons why they would hesitate to jump on board the scheme immediately.
For example, with only some companies imposing the fuel surcharge for now – and not all at the same time – many would prefer to book with a surcharge-free operator.
And is the 10-second time limit before a call is re-routed too short? After all, at peak hours, it is not uncommon for one to be put on call-waiting for several minutes before the call is attended to.
Advertising manager Adeline Lu, 26, said: “It will be 30 seconds for three companies. I have a feeling I might need to dial and dial again.” She plans to stick with a single company’s hotline number during the busy period.
Premier Taxis’ managing director Lim Chong Boo said the time-limit was something the authorities and operators had discussed; callers also would not want to be kept on the line too long. “We won’t know the exact situation until it’s done and we get feedback,” he said.
Another issue: Calls are allocated to companies based on their market share of call bookings in the last three months – meaning calls will likely be routed first to the one with the lion’s share. Would this put smaller players at a disadvantage?
Trans-Cab’s general manager Jasmine Tan said it would mean “proportionate allocation”. “If we only have a fleet of 2,000 cabs, even if you give us more bookings, we cannot fulfill,” she said.
Mr Lim said in theory, the scheme sounds fair “but we won’t know until it’s been enforced”. If the company finds its market share of call bookings affected, it will step up promotion of its own hotline number.
Local hotels, however, agreed tourists would benefit. While Royal Plaza on Scotts hands all guests a card with taxi numbers listed, the common number would be handy when they are in a rush or “do not want to wait in a queue”, said director of rooms Alphonso Conceicao.
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