AIRPORT TAXI SERVICE (Inadequacy of)

Mr Ho Kah Leong asked the Minister for National Development and Communications whether he is aware that the airport taxi service is far from adequate and what steps he proposes to take to improve the service.

Mr Ong Teng Cheong (for the Minister for National Development and Communications): Mr Speaker, Sir, my Ministry is aware of the inadequacy of the taxi service at the Paya Lebar Airport, especially during the peak period, between 6.30 pm and 10.00 pm. As a first step towards improving the airport taxi service, NTUC-Comfort was allowed to take over the management of this service on 1st May, 1976. The availability and quality of the airport taxi service are being constantly reviewed by the Department of Civil Aviation, the Registry of Vehicles and NTUC-Comfort.

Recently, a recruitment exercise was carried out to increase the number of taxi drivers allowed to ply at the Airport. As a result, the number of airport taxi drivers has been increased from 507 to 737. Selection of the airport taxi drivers was based on factors such as the applicant's record as a taxi driver and his proficiency in spoken English and local dialects in order to ensure that the grade of the airport taxi service is of an acceptable level, and to minimise the possibility of malpractice among taxi drivers.

Surveillance on the adequacy of the airport taxi service will continue and measures to upgrade the level of service will be taken as and when necessary. If the recent increase in the number of taxi drivers is found to be insufficient to meet the demand, then a further recruitment exercise will be held. In addition to increasing the number of taxis allowed to ply at the Airport, the Department of Civil Aviation, together with the Registry of Vehicles, are looking into the expansion of the existing shuttle bus service between the Airport and hotels to supplement the taxi service.