Fare hike to tackle illegal taxis

Fare hike to tackle illegal taxis

The majority of individuals approve of the program.

Fare hike to tackle illegal taxis
In this file photo, a passenger at the Mo Chit bus stop queues up to board a vehicle. ( Photo: Pattanapong Hirunard )

The Professional Association of Public Taxi Motorists petitioned the Ministry of Transportation on Thursday asking for permission to raise Mo Chit 2’s starting fare to 50 baht in response to the ongoing problem of improper cars.

The issue of “mafia” cars at Mo Chit 2, which has caused problems for legally registered cars and for people, has been going on for years, said Khanesuan Gamkhuntod, the agency’s leader.

No policy has been able to solve these issues, he said, leading to the retakeover of Mo Chit 2 by non-registered taxis and private vehicles that provide improper taxi services.

These cars and lorries, he said, charge fixed tickets that are higher than the lawful reduce.

According to Mr. Khanesuan, the association recently polled 1, 000 people between March 1 and March 13 to see if their opinions on its proposal to increase the starting car fare at Mo Chit 2 from 40 to 50 baht will be beneficial. This will help reduce the number of passengers who wait in long lines for taxis.

He claimed that 99 % of the respondents said they would consent to the higher amount in exchange for better service.

A taxi driver was verbally abusing a passenger on March 7 and was now facing punishment from the Department of Land Transport ( DLT). The pilot claimed the customer had waited too long for the driver after submitting an inaccurate pick-up location and then canceled the trip.

The driver was required to attend a three-hour training session on how to deliver a great taxi service, which the DLT imposed as a fine of 1, 000 baht, a 30-day suspension, and a suspension of his license.