Taxi drivers complain about alleged unfair job distribution at Changi Airport, minibus trial suspended

Taxi drivers say transport operator gave priority to minibuses to ferry passengers at Changi Airport

A large group of premium taxi drivers have complained of “unfair” job distribution at Changi Airport, claiming minibuses were given priority over them.

More than 50 taxi drivers gathered at a waiting area at about 4pm on Thursday (13 Feb) in an effort to address the issue, reported Shin Min Daily News.

Source: Shin Min Daily News

Taxi drivers say income hit after new transport operator took over at Changi Airport

A 44-year-old Maxicab driver named only as Mr Wu (transliterated from Mandarin) told the paper that Changi Airport’s Ground Transport Concierge (GTC) was taken over by private transport operator Woodlands Transport on 1 Feb.

Since then, the pick-up counter staff started allegedly giving priority to minibuses it introduced whenever passengers arrived, he said.

While taxis continued queueing up for passengers as they have done for the last 25 years, they found that they had to wait much longer.

In the past, they would make about five or six trips a day but this decreased to one or two trips since the minibuses appeared, Mr Wu added.

This inevitably affected their income, he lamented.

Taxi drivers gather at Changi Airport hoping to resolve the issue

Mr Wu said the taxi drivers had sent representatives to discuss the matter but couldn’t make any headway.

Thus, they decided to take action on Thursday (13 Feb), with about 100 cabbies not picking up passengers at Changi Airport from 9am.

Later, about 50 of them gathered at the waiting area, hoping that representatives from all parties would resolve the issue together.

Source: Shin Min Daily News

73-year-old taxi drivers’ representative Morgan told Shin Min that he used to handle an average of six trips a day in his 25 years of driving a taxi.

Now, they had to wait for several hours a day for one or two trips, with their income cut by about half.

He hoped for more transparency as they had received no response when they previously brought up the matter.

Shin Min reporters who observed the proceedings noted that about 50 taxis were parked in the waiting areas, with their drivers gathered to discuss the issue with sombre expressions.

Three minibuses were also parked outside the Arrivals Hall.

Source: Shin Min Daily News

Incident was a misunderstanding: CAG

In response to Shin Min’s queries, Changi Airport Group (CAG) said that the incident was a “misunderstanding”.

CAG Senior Vice-President Lim Tiong Huat said the GTC planned to launch a minibus service to meet the needs of large groups with more than six people and to provide passengers with more transportation options.

However, a misunderstanding ensued between the premium taxi drivers and the ground transportation reception desk during the trial, he added.

The minibus service has been temporarily suspended as CAG is in discussion with the relevant agencies on how to resolve the matter.

NTA committed to finding fair & long-term solution for affected taxi drivers

In a Facebook post on Friday (14 Feb), National Taxi Association (NTA) advisor Yeo Wan Ling said several taxi and minivan drivers had met to give “candid feedback” at Changi Airport on 13 Feb.

This came after NTA received an email from a taxi driver regarding “concerns over alleged unfair job distribution against large taxis” at the Changi Airport taxi concierge.

NTA took action by engaging with CAG to address the taxi drivers’ concerns and sending representatives to the airport to engage with the drivers, added Ms Yeo, who is also NTUC Assistant Secretary-General and an MP for Punggol-Pasir Ris GRC.

Source: Shin Min Daily News via Yeo Wan Ling on Facebook

CAG has requested its taxi concierge vendor halt the trial and reinstate the previous concierge management system. It is also “currently reviewing the process to ensure greater transparency and fair job distribution to our taxi drivers”, she said, adding:

NTA wants to assure its members that it will continue to convey their concerns to CAG to find a fair and long-term solution for the taxi drivers.

Taxi drivers resume Changi Airport passenger pick-up

Meanwhile, the taxi drivers began picking up passengers from Changi Airport on Friday morning after the previous concierge management system was restored.

Mr Wu revealed that he had received assurance from CAG that all work assignments and arrangements would remain the same as before.

As CAG is still investigating and nothing has been settled yet, they don’t know what the future will hold, he said, adding:

But at least now we can start working again.

Also read: LTA nabs 12 foreign-registered vehicles for providing illegal ride-hailing services at Changi Airport

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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News.