FUND TO IMPROVE TAXI RIDERSHIP

FUND TO IMPROVE TAXI RIDERSHIP

30.

Ms Audrey Wong Wai Yen asked the Minister for Transport (a) what has been the impact of the $1 million fund launched last year to improve taxi ridership; (b) whether the Ministry conducts annual service audits of taxi companies to ensure that they are meeting consumers' needs and expectations and changing commuter patterns; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider further measures to professionalise taxi drivers, such as accreditation to raise the perceived job status of taxi driving.

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: Sir, the $1 million Taxi Fund, which LTA set up last year, in consultation with the taxi companies and the National Taxi Association (NTA), was intended as a temporary measure to provide some help to the taxi industry given the expectations then of a severe economic downturn. However, as this is public money, any potential use of the Fund had to fulfil three objectives. First, it should help to improve the service levels of taxi drivers, for example, by supporting initiatives such as programmes on good service behaviours. Second, there is a co-funding element where only up to one-third of the cost of any promotional activities proposed by taxi companies would be taken from the Fund, and it must not involve a direct subsidy of taxi fares. And, lastly, the Fund could also be used to improve demand by improving convenience and accessibility for taxi commuters during major events such as the Singapore River Hongbao, through the construction of additional infrastructure facilities such as temporary taxi stands.

As indicated in the reply to a parliamentary question last year, the Fund is open to application by taxi companies and only proposals that meet the stipulated requirements will be approved. While a $1 million budget has been set aside, actual utilisation will depend on the merits of the proposals LTA receives. To date, LTA has received a number of applications and one proposal has been approved for co-funding. LTA also has plans to make use of some of the funds to improve taxi information at taxi stands in the next few months. In addition, LTA is intending to tap on the fund to construct temporary taxi stands around the Chinatown area during the Singapore River Hongbao early next year.

On Ms Wong's query on the service performance of taxi companies in meeting commuters' needs, I wish to highlight that LTA requires all taxi companies to comply with service performance standards under the monthly Quality of Service (QoS) standards. The QoS standards are categorised in three main areas, namely, the availability of taxis via call booking, safety and customer satisfaction. LTA monitors taxi companies' performance very closely and penalties are levied on companies that fail to meet the required standards.

Column: 1593

In addition, LTA monitors commuters' waiting time at taxi stands with high demand. LTA also conducts monthly public opinion survey of taxi companies' service provision and quarterly mystery customer audits of the service delivery by taxi drivers. Besides sharing these waiting times and survey/audit information with taxi companies, regular meetings with them and the taxi drivers' associations are held to see if there are gaps in service delivery and how best to address them. LTA is currently reviewing how service in the taxi industry can be further improved to better meet the needs of commuters and will announce the improvements by early next year.

On measures to professionalise taxi drivers, LTA has been working with the Singapore Taxi Academy (STA) on a number of initiatives. In July 2010, a computer-based English assessment, the Workplace Literacy-Computer Adaptive Test (WPL-CAT), was adopted as a more comprehensive and systematic method of testing the English proficiency of Taxi Driver's Vocational Licence (TDVL) applicants. This replaced the English assessment interviews conducted by the STA for TDVL applicants who do not possess a GCE "O" or "N" level pass in English. Under the new WPL-CAT regime, TDVL applicants are required to obtain at least a Level 3 pass in the three areas tested – Listening, Reading and Speaking, before they are allowed to enroll in the TDVL course.

To ensure that the knowledge of our taxi drivers is up-to-date, TDVL holders are required to attend a refresher course once every six years. LTA will continue to work with the STA to improve the training of taxi drivers so as to deliver higher service standards for our commuters.

Column: 1593