I believe one of the reasons why Singaporeans get bad service and dangerous taxi drivers is because we complain to the wrong people. Singaporeans love to complain to each other in a coffeeshop over a cup of coffee. But you know what? Complaining like this does not change anything.

Complaining is a powerful tool that we are not harnessing in our fight for safety on our roads and for good service. All Singaporeans must start to complain through the proper channels and to complain often. Only then will the service providers have a database of complaints, and with that they can see trends, and hopefully take action to improve. Am I living in a fantasy? Probably, but if we did not try, how would we know?

Here is the thing, when you complain about a dangerous taxi driver in a coffeeshop, or the lately, in an internet forum, you will get many sympathetic and empathetic ears. But these complaints are generic, and they tar all the people of that profession in the same brush. There are no specifics, so it becomes discrimination. Complaining through the proper channels, however, is targeted. If that same taxi driver starts getting complaints thick and fast, I am quite sure that the LTA and the taxi company will take action.

Singapores hate making trouble, but what are we talking about here? Human lives. Do we wait until those taxi drivers actually kill someone before we take them off the roads? If a taxi driver is not fit to drive a taxi, he needs a new job. Simple as that. Too bad that taxi driving is a dignified occupation of last resort for Singaporean who are downsized. People should not pay for their lives for someone else’s dignity. There my Utopian syndrome kicks in again.

When complaints are targeted, the few bad eggs are identified, and the rest of the law abiding and hard working taxi drivers can continue doing their jobs with less discrimination. Good taxi drivers should encourage a culture of complaining properly, otherwise they are marred in the same brush stroke when we complain in general. Only bad drivers should be worried.

Here is an excerpt from LTA’s Taxi Driver Vocational License Point System

“How To Lodge A Complaint Against A Taxi Driver?
A commuter can lodge a complaint against a taxi driver by the following means:
1) By Phone :
Call to LTA Hotline – 1800-Call LTA or 1800-225 5582
2) By Email :
Access to LTA Internet Website – http://www.lta.gov.sg
3) By Letter or Fax :

Bus & Taxi Regulation Dept
Land Transport Authority
10 Sin Ming Drive
Singapore 575701
Fax No.: 6553 5329

Information You Need To Provide When Lodging A Complaint

To lodge a complaint, a commuter has to provide the following information:
1) Vehicle registration number of the taxi (with prefix and suffix) e.g. SHA1234Z
2) Date and time of the incident
3) Venue and/or origin-destination of the incident
4) A brief account of the incident

Additional information that will help in the investigation include:
1) Type and colour of taxi
2) Fare paid
3) Sign displayed
4) Brief description of the driver
Commuters may have to appear in court to support their complaint.“

Also can give feedback about bad service to the companies themselves.

Comfort Transportation Pte Ltd (ComfortDelgro)
Tel: 6555 1188 Fax: 6452 7742
feedback@cdgtaxi.com.sg
http://www.comfort-transportation.com.sg/survey.asp

CityCab Pte Ltd (ComfortDelgro)
Tel: 6552 4525 Fax: 6552 4125
feedback@cdgtaxi.com.sg

SMRT Corporation Ltd
Tel: 1800 3368 900
CorpComms@smrt.com.sg
http://www.smrt.com.sg/contact_us/contact_us.asp

Trans-Cab Services Pte Ltd
Tel: 6555 6666

Premier Taxi Pte Ltd
Tel: 6476 8880 Fax: 6473 9339
http://www.premiertaxi.com/commuters-feedback.htm

Smart Automobile Pte Ltd
Tel: 6485 7700 Fax: 6485 7711
http://www.smartcab.com.sg/html/feedback.html

Prime Car Rental & Taxi Services Pte Ltd
Tel: 6741 9292 Fax: 6746 1555