Buck up or quit the job

Taxi drivers are facing a tough time only because they refuse to improve their service.

COMMENT

By Jason Chin

It seems like a never-ending feud between taxi drivers and Uber and GrabCar.

Taxi drivers who claim that their income has been significantly affected by services offered by Uber and GrabCar are threatening to stage strikes across cities and block roads in order to draw attention to their plight.

So why are alternative transport services like Uber and GrabCar flourishing?

A survey on UK-based website London Cabs not long ago ranked Malaysian taxi drivers as the worst in the world. That is really quite an astonishing achievement. Travellers to Thailand, India and Indonesia will attest to how ruthless drivers in those countries are. Yet somehow Malaysian cab drivers have managed to outdo them all and clinch the “worst in the world” spot. Is it surprising then that people are seeking out alternatives?

Complaints against taxi drivers in Malaysia are many. Some examples include refusal to use designated meters during certain hours of the day, rude drivers, purposely using longer routes, and rejecting customers because the location is unfavourable. Additionally, run down vehicles and safety are also issues, the latter especially for women passengers.

Despite the litany of complaints, change has been slow. Since the taxi business has always been a monopoly, there has been little or no effort made either by taxi drivers or associations to improve services.

Today though, people have a choice. So can you blame them for taking matters into their own hands?

To a large extent, those who resort to Uber and GrabCar do not have to deal with the problems mentioned earlier. People get to plan their travel without the hassle of dealing with difficult taxi drivers. All they need are their touch pads and smart phones.

Taxi drivers in the country are facing a tough time only because they refuse to improve the quality of their service. Instead of complaining and urging for a ban on alternative services, taxi drivers should rise to the challenge and buck-up. Find out why people are moving away from conventional taxis and rectify the problems. Force taxi organisations to take a more proactive approach to ensure safety and quality. Take the bull by the horns and prove to us that you guys can do as well or better than Uber and GrabCar.

Stop whining and appealing to the authorities to ban or limit alternative services.

Stop making excuses for your incompetence.

Start acting!

Jason Chin is an FMT reader.