I admit that this IS a sweeping statement to make but I have to say that in most occasions where I am faced with a nightmare of a Taxi Driver, chances are higher that the cab is owned by SMRT. Conversely, it is in my opinion that the best Taxi Drivers come from COMFORT.

Before I begin, I would like to clarify that I am what someone would call a ‘bo-pian’ passenger. I get into a cab, inform the cabby of my destination and sit back. I am blind towards his choice of routes (he might very well be turning around and around Singapore and I wouldn’t know), and his choice of hospitality. Meaning, if he chooses to strike a conversation, I would continue by throwing the ball back onto his court and if he chooses to keep silent, I will be found dozing off in the back seat. Upon destination, I make payment promptly, even tip if it’s a few cents of change, and say my pleasantries.

So basically, if I say that a cabby had pissed me off, it very well means that he was taking that extra effort to be an asshole.

The other day whilst I was rushing to get to my company’s warehouse, I had taken a long brisk walk under the hot afternoon sun from point A to get to the Taxi Stand which was an approximate 200m away. Around 5 minutes after waiting in vain, an SMRT cab which spotted me decided to reverse in the middle of a busy road and turn into the road which I was waiting at.

Slightly taken aback still by his actions, I still hopped on the cab as I was, like I mentioned, disastrously late. I gave my cabby my destination, and he proceeded to drive with the flow of the traffic. Barely seconds after the drive begun, when the cab was back at Point A, the cabby started saying that he has no more fuel left and he cannot possibly drive me to my destination.

Without any furher exchange of words, I got out of the cab and proceeded walking back to the Taxi Stand. A few seconds later, I turned back and saw another passenger being shoo-ed out from the same cab, probably due to the lack of petrol once again.

My question is, why can’t he bloody well top up his petrol first before picking up any more customers? Idiot.

As for the second cab I entered (which was another SMRT cab), the moment information with regards to my destination was offered, the cabby started giving a black face when I told him I did not go how to get there. He started grumbling at me, even retorting with “If you don’t know, how I know?“. When greeted by my stoic face, he pulled at the side of the road, slammed his copy of the Street Directory on the seat next to him, and started flipping through it whilst grumbling.

No apologies, only a spew of negativities. How’s that for customer service? Idiot.

Oh well, at least our friendly COMFORT drivers can make up for it.

Like for example, the night afterwhich I went for dinner with the company, the cabby who was driving kept my manager and I laughing throughout the journey, and even waited until I got into the lift before he drove off as it was quite late into the night. Also, the other day, I had to take a cab ride home from Pioneer Mall (an approximate 3 bus stops) as I was too darn tired to wait for the bus. The cabby, upon noticing that I had entered his cab at 5:59am, waited for a minute before turning the meter on so that I won’t be charged with the midnight surcharge. So nice, right?

Of course, the politically correct statement should be that one should never generalize as there are always rotten apples amidst good ones. But at rising costs, I would expect an at least polite service, and for that I would choose COMFORT over SMRT cabs anytime.

Anyone has any good/bad taxi stories to share? :)

P/s. On a related note, I think that the costs of cab rides are crazy! My colleague had to pay $44.30 to get from Jurong to Pasir Ris! (Call charge, Peak period charge, ERP and the journey itself). FORTY FOUR! *heart attack* That’s slightly lesser than what I get working for 8 hours -.- haha. Thank GOD for company reimbursements!