Well, the post today is with reference to recent report on The Straits Times newspaper. The article, had the following title: Are Our Cabbies Clueless?

The article was with regard to the unsatisfactory customer service provided by some

of the taxi drivers in Singapore. The article was about the taxi drivers not knowing certain destination that would prove important or something that should be known by a taxi driver. It shows the replies of different taxi drivers when certain destinations are asked. For example, when a taxi driver was asked to drive to Clifford Centre, he did not know where it is. However, only after explaining the nearby landmarks did he get the idea of where Clifford Centre was.

Personally, I feel that this could be a great problem. For one who is not very well traveled or very clear of Singapore landmarks, it would have been hard to explain a certain destination to a taxi driver. If I were to go out with my friends, especially when I did not know the destination, I would then have to depend on the taxi driver’s experience to get me there. If he did not know where it was, it would have been difficult to get to where I wanted to go, and probably, would not save a lot of time. This could prove a terrible disadvantage.

Also, in the area of tourism, many tourists come into Singapore expecting to get a very much pleasing or entertaining experience with the various sights in Singapore. Places of attraction like The Esplanade or certain art museums might be foreign to some of the taxi drivers. Imagine the impression imprinted into the tourist’s mind. It would be preposterous! What would it say of the citizen’s knowledge of their own country?

However, I feel that we should also look at it from the taxi driver’s point of view. Many of them had become taxi drivers because they had faced retrenchment, or did not have enough qualifications and had to support their families. The pressure that is on them is very much unbearable. As being a taxi driver was probably his or her best course of action, he is subjected to few choices. Some of them might not even want to be taxi drivers. The thought of supporting your own family with a small salary would be hard as you could be working the whole day in the taxi without earning much. The thought of your family waiting on you in hope of bringing home some money would put the person under pressure.

All in all, I feel that while taxi drivers should know the important places in Singapore, we should also spare a thought for the taxi drivers as they too have their problems.