Tip on getting a taxi during Peak Hours and Rainy Days – Part II

Following my recent post on the tip to commuters to get a taxi during peak hours and rainy (Link). Generally, commuters would like to know more what other ways you can get a taxi apart from the tips I had listed before.

Here are other few tips to I would like to offer with my personal view and feedback from commuters that had taken my taxi.

1）Regular Taxi pick up 

In the rush hours and you are a regular taxi commuter, this tip might be useful to you. Have a regular taxi pick-up from your home everyday or going home everyday, you can do that by doing these:

I. Ask the taxi driver if he is willing to pick you up at certain time of the day. God knows if he is just starting his shift and he live near your place and he might not mind picking you up and ensured that he will have a good start for the day everyday. The question is: Do you might asking and do you like his service?

I got a regular booking from my place to UE Square at the early hours of 4.30am from a sister of the commuters. The sister got my contact through chit chatting while on the way back from Clarke Quay. She happen to know that my shift starts in the morning at 4am and we are living very close to each other (10 minutes walking distance). She just ask me if I mind taking her sister to work in the weed hours and she will feel safe if there is a regular taxi to pick her sister fortnightly.

She just did that and she got it. So commuters, no harm asking!

II. Call up the taxi company, quoting my taxi company, you can call up 6555 8888 to SMRT to talk to the operator ( please do this during the off-peak hours). Talk to them and says that you would like to have a regular taxi to pick you up. The operator will take down your information and send a message to our system requesting interested driver to call our contact center if they are keen. Usually our call center will give your contact number to up to max of 5 drivers to contact with you for the private negotiation.

2) Why call only comfort/citycabs?

A lot of times, commuters call us up (SMRT) when they couldn’t get hold of the taxi from comfort/citycabs. A lot of times, I would tell them an analogy:

If 1 million commuters are calling them (comfort/citycabs) at the same time, what is your success rate even though they have more than 16,000 taxi on the road? You will know the answer yourself.

My point is, try other taxi companies like SMRT (6555 8888), Trancabs (6555 3333). So save up these two phone number now!!!. Alternatively download the apps for SMRT – “SMRT – Book a Taxi”.

3) Try SMS Booking

Sometime, due to heavy call usage, you might not able to connect to the main line. The fast and easy method is using SMS. Below are the SMS method you can use

SMRT

Send sms to 75588.

For current bookings, type Book<space>Postal code<space>#Pickup Point.

For advance bookings, type AdvBook<space>Postal code<space>#Pickup point<space>#Pickup time(24 hour format)<space>Pickup date.
Comfort/Citycabs

SMS-A-TAXI – 71222

	Method	SMS Format	Example : Suntec Tower Four, Taxi stand
To SMS-A-TAXI using	Postal code	BOOK <space> Postal Code <space> #Pick-up Point	BOOK 038986 #taxi stand
	Address	BOOK <space> Building Name, Block Number, Street Name <space> #Pick-up Point	BOOK Suntec Tower Four, 6 Temasek Boulevard #taxi stand
	Fastcall Pin Code	FC <space> Fastcall Pin Code	FC 10041

Example of CBD taxi stand: Lucky Plaza BOOK <space> taxi stand no. <space> #taxi stand BOOK A01 #taxi stand

Other SMS Features

		SMS Format
Can I cancel my current booking using SMS?	Yes. Just send CANCEL to 71222 and our system will cancel the booking made under your mobile number. This will apply to all current bookings made using other methods as well.	CANCEL
Can you tell me, my most probable pickup addresses from my previous booking records with Comfort/ CityCab?	Yes. Just send AUTO to 71222 and our system will match the 2 most probable addresses under your mobile number and SMS back to you.	AUTO
Can I find the postal code of my address?	Yes. Just send FIND  Bldg Name, Blk No., St name	FIND E.g. FIND  Suntec Tower Four, 6 Temasek Boulevard

4) Hail a taxi on the street

In the morning peak hours and you do not wish to book a taxi, you need to stand on the street with the correct directions.

I. Monitor yourself where the taxi will comes from which directions

II. Try to stand at the front of the street that taxi would come in from. If you are standing at the other side of the road (eg. end point of the street), consider standing at the other side of the road. It might cost you a detour or a little higher fare, but does that matter than getting a taxi?

III. Look out for “Hired” taxi turning into carparks. The taxi might just be dropping off a customer.

IV. Raise your hand immediately once you spotted an empty taxi. Taxi driver tends to speed up to the 1st hand to raise to flag for the taxi.

Other interesting read

Read up my drinking kaki, James’ blog: http://cabby65.blogspot.sg/

Once again, I wish to thanks Mr Tan Kin Lian, My Real Singapore to post my previous articles in their Facebook/website.

Mr Tan Kin Lian –  https://www.facebook.com/kinlian

The Real Singapore: https://www.facebook.com/therealsingapore , http://www.therealsingapore.com/

I hoped that with this post, commuters would successfully get a taxi without any difficulties. This post is written with my utmost abilities driving taxi which less than 2 years of taxi driving experience. Feel free to leave me a comment if you would like me to suggest other ways of getting a taxi or during peak hours in your estate.