More than 100 disgruntled taxi drivers stage another protest in Tampoi

The dissatisfaction of Johor Bahru taxi drivers over the use of the coupon system has now spread to Plaza Angsana, Tampoi.

At the 3pm incident, more than one hundred disgruntled taxi drivers assembled and stage a protest outside the perimeter of the shopping centre to express their dissatisfaction and urged the government to intervene and resolve the issue quickly.

Some of the taxi drivers even called for the taxi fare ticketing counter to be shut down and urged the public not to purchase the taxi fare coupon from the counter but instead go for the usual metered taxi fare.

The taxi drivers alleged that the taxi fare coupon system only benefited the operator of the coupon system who arbitrarily charged an additional RM2.00 on top of the destination fare.

The taxi drivers further claimed that under the new coupon system, the operator determined the destination fare which is lower than the actual fare as displayed in the their taxi fare meter.

To-date, the taxi fare coupon system has been implemented in 3 public areas namely, Larkin Sentral bus terminal, JB Sentral in the city centre and Plaza Angsana shopping centre in Tampoi.

When asked to comment on the issue, taxi driver, Kamsin Mohamad, 48, said, the new taxi fare coupon system is depriving the rightful earnings of taxi drivers.

He said, since the destination fare has been pre-determined by the operator, the taxi drivers will have to bear the loss in instances where the metered fare is higher than the pre-determined fare as indicated in the fare coupon.

“Previously, I can earn an average monthly income of RM2,400 but with the implementation of the new taxi fare coupon system, my income has dropped to RM1,600”, Kamsin claimed.

Whereas another taxi driver, Abd Halim Ibrahim, said, the new system is confusing and troublesome for the public.

Some time ago, the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) southern region issued a statement to say that the SPAD will only support the applications put forward by the companies that propose to implement the coupon system.

A SPAD official has been quoted as saying that, even though SPAD has allowed the companies to implement the new coupon fare system, an investigation to look into the issues and objections raised by the taxi drivers will be carried out to seek for an amicable solution for all parties concern.