MEL Taxi Blockade [ short fare return queue jump ending ]

[oz_mark]

Back on topic, I wonder if the other airports (particularly SYD or BNE) have any similar kind of bypass system or not? From BNE, I suspect the answer is no......

Sydney does:

Drivers are required to accept all fares, big and small, from the airport. If you are only travelling a short distance, drivers can return back to their place in the queue after they have taken you to where you need to go

Sydney Airport - Travellers - Go - By Taxi

 

[SeatBackForward]

Sydney does:



Sydney Airport - Travellers - Go - By Taxi

As I had posted in my earlier post - I believe the bypass system in Sydney has a time limit, of about 20mins to return to the can rank, and they are then given priority. Perhaps the issue with short fares in Sydney is related more to that time limit than about the fare itself, as sometimes it can take that long just in traffic around the airport.

 

[serfty]

It is expensive. The citylink fee really annoys me as back in 1999, there was no citylink fee if you turned off at the yellow erections. They haven't substantially changed the road before that point, why in the world should there be a toll?
...

There has been a toll since the "Tullamarine" freeway was widened from 4 lines (2 e/w) to the current 8+ from the Bolte Bridge through to Essendon.

I landed on 27 at ~9:20 this morning and had a clear view of the terminals and roads leading to/from MEL. Nothing looked untoward and my Skybus bus trip took around 17 minutes.

 

[stewiejp]

So in a nutshell, the airport (MEL) are cutting out the short fare "loophole" because certain taxi drivers are cheating, and the taxi drivers are protesting the airport? Shouldn't they be protesting the drivers who are cheating the system? Look at the cause, not the symptom?

Fair's fare and all that, and I wouldn't blame a driver feeling disgruntled if he or she waited 2 hours for a $15 fare. We often leave the car at a friend's house in Tullamarine, and cab it in. The driver makes use of the short fare system and all is good in the world. IMO the drivers should be "outing" the ones who cheat they system, rather than carry on like pork chops at the airport - who are just trying to make the whole system fair and equitable. Or am I missing something?

In my backpacking days, I remember getting yelled at by a cabbie for getting a ride back to Broadmeadows... should we as pax expect this same kind of treatment once the short fare system is abolished?

VHA must be rubbing their hands together.

 

[serfty]

I would suspect the most disgruntled one are indeed those who were using the system, perhaps unfairly, for their own benefit.

 

[drewbles]

What I don't get is why a taxi driver would sit around for 2-3 hours for the *possibility* of a monster fare. Surely the majority of fares are going to be decent (leaving the short fare debate to the side for a moment) and say $50ish or so to the City.

I know there's no way in hell i'd sit around for 3 hours to earn $50, half of which went to the owner of the taxi (providing it is not a owner operated taxi).

Even if it were $150 fare, that's still a lot of sitting around for $75 (before tax and everything else even).

 

[Ansett]

The answer to me is simple have two ranks one for short trips less than say 20ks and another for longer trips, Simples

 

[Aussie_flyer]

What I don't get is why a taxi driver would sit around for 2-3 hours for the *possibility* of a monster fare. Surely the majority of fares are going to be decent (leaving the short fare debate to the side for a moment) and say $50ish or so to the City.

I know there's no way in hell i'd sit around for 3 hours to earn $50, half of which went to the owner of the taxi (providing it is not a owner operated taxi).

Even if it were $150 fare, that's still a lot of sitting around for $75 (before tax and everything else even).

of course you or I wouldn't but the life of a taxi driver is NOT an easy one and they make bugger all money, that is why very few Australian born people take the job. I know we have so many shonky drivers here in Melbourne but I don't envy the job at all.

 

[medhead]

What I don't get is why a taxi driver would sit around for 2-3 hours for the *possibility* of a monster fare. Surely the majority of fares are going to be decent (leaving the short fare debate to the side for a moment) and say $50ish or so to the City.

I know there's no way in hell i'd sit around for 3 hours to earn $50, half of which went to the owner of the taxi (providing it is not a owner operated taxi).

Even if it were $150 fare, that's still a lot of sitting around for $75 (before tax and everything else even).

It really depends on your alternatives and other factors like time of day. Having got a fare to the airport, what is the closest nearby alternative to get a passenger? How long to get there and how long will I have to wait once I get there? Where will that fare take me? Will it be busy at that next place?

Once you add all that up your alternative might mean an hour wait to get a $10 fare that leaves you waiting in a suburb somewhere for another hour. Whereas 2 hours at the airport is likely to get you into the city where there is lots of work available.

 

[anat0l]

The answer to me is simple have two ranks one for short trips less than say 20ks and another for longer trips, Simples

I don't think that solves it, unless you mean that it creates two separate queue banks for taxis, and thus a driver at the airport will have to take a punt as to which rank will give them a job.

Also, nothing really stopping a passenger from thinking, "hmmm... the over-20km line is too long, I'll jump to the 20km line", then hopping in and demanding the cab driver take them over 20km away. It is illegal for a driver to refuse a fare. I know that's not likely to happen, but.........

 

[drewbles]

of course you or I wouldn't but the life of a taxi driver is NOT an easy one and they make bugger all money, that is why very few Australian born people take the job. I know we have so many shonky drivers here in Melbourne but I don't envy the job at all.

Agreed. It's not a job I'd want either.

It really depends on your alternatives and other factors like time of day. Having got a fare to the airport, what is the closest nearby alternative to get a passenger? How long to get there and how long will I have to wait once I get there? Where will that fare take me? Will it be busy at that next place?

Once you add all that up your alternative might mean an hour wait to get a $10 fare that leaves you waiting in a suburb somewhere for another hour. Whereas 2 hours at the airport is likely to get you into the city where there is lots of work available.

I do understand that yes. Just would have thought a slight detour into town via essendon may result in a fare down Mount Alexander or the like on their way into town that gets them a few bucks.

I guess it is worth it for them though as there are always masses waiting (which, separately, is why I must always struggle to order one when I need it; they're all at the airport! ).

 

[Hvr]

Surely it is time to start cancelling taxi licences and plates?

This morning I returned from the US and upon arrival at Melbourne I went upstairs to arrivals and saw a cabbie dropping off a fare. I asked him if he wanted a short fare to a nearby suburb. He was happy to accept.

Mind you the fare was >$30 so it wasn't too bad.

However, he put on a two dollar surcharge and upon arrival I asked why. He said it was an airport charge. I told him I knew he was lying and that he hadn't paid it and nor would I.

He removed it from the bill and gave me change to the cent. He forfeited a tip because of his dishonesty.

With no effective mechanism for punishing thieving drivers or the plate owner this will continue forever.

 

[flyingfan]

This morning I returned from the US and upon arrival at Melbourne I went upstairs to arrivals and saw a cabbie dropping off a fare. I asked him if he wanted a short fare to a nearby suburb. He was happy to accept.

Mind you the fare was >$30 so it wasn't too bad.

However, he put on a two dollar surcharge and upon arrival I asked why. He said it was an airport charge. I told him I knew he was lying and that he hadn't paid it and nor would I.

He removed it from the bill and gave me change to the cent. He forfeited a tip because of his dishonesty.

With no effective mechanism for punishing thieving drivers or the plate owner this will continue forever.

Pretty poor form. You saved him a long wait through the usual queues and he still tries to do the dirty on you. And $30 is not exactly peanuts.

 

[Skyring]

This morning I returned from the US and upon arrival at Melbourne I went upstairs to arrivals and saw a cabbie dropping off a fare. I asked him if he wanted a short fare to a nearby suburb. He was happy to accept.

How odd that a cabbie should drop off a passenger at arrivals! And how strange that the cabbies waiting in line for arriving passengers would allow him to accept a fare. There would certainly be outrage and repercussions if any cabbie tried that in Canberra.

Possibly you picked up a cab at the departures area? Against the rules, cheating an honest driver doing the right thing on the arrivals rank out of the fare he had waited for.

As a cabbie, I always avoided passengers who tried to beat the system. Queue-jumpers, or those who wanted to cram an extra passenger in, or who wanted to go "off the meter". If they bend the rules in one thing, they may have the same attitude towards paying the fare, preferring to run off down a laneway at the end of the trip.

No thanks. That sort of culture of breaking the rules spreads and pretty soon you have cabbies who take their revenge and it all becomes a vicious circle.

 

[Skyring]

Pretty poor form. You saved him a long wait through the usual queues and he still tries to do the dirty on you.

Most cabbies in a similar situation will charge the airport fee. Because they are at the airport, and it is a habit. In fact, it may be automatic with some of the newer boxes - the system knows the cab is at the airport and adds in the charge.

Then again, in Canberra most airport pickups are paid with government vouchers or cards. The passenger doesn't care how much the fare is and the cabbie exploits this, knowing they aren't going to get a tip.

 

[Hvr]

How odd that a cabbie should drop off a passenger at arrivals! And how strange that the cabbies waiting in line for arriving passengers would allow him to accept a fare. There would certainly be outrage and repercussions if any cabbie tried that in Canberra.

Possibly you picked up a cab at the departures area? Against the rules, cheating an honest driver doing the right thing on the arrivals rank out of the fare he had waited for.

As a cabbie, I always avoided passengers who tried to beat the system. Queue-jumpers, or those who wanted to cram an extra passenger in, or who wanted to go "off the meter". If they bend the rules in one thing, they may have the same attitude towards paying the fare, preferring to run off down a laneway at the end of the trip.

No thanks. That sort of culture of breaking the rules spreads and pretty soon you have cabbies who take their revenge and it all becomes a vicious circle.

You are of course correct, I went to the departures area. I was very tired yesterday after my flights from New York.

The problem I face is that if I go by the rules and wait in line then the driver who waited in line gets a short fare he doesn't want and I end up with a mouthful of abuse or at best sullen behaviour and attempts to take the long route home.

The situation is bad, indeed virtually intolerable for me (and others who live near the airport) regardless of what I do.

Re the run off, given I had luggage in the boot that wasn't going to happen but I accept you make a valid point.

The taxi industry is rife with bad behaviour from useless owners and drivers. Some of the owners in particular see their plate as being there to make them money rather than provide a service to the public.

As for drivers who cannot speak English to take directions from the customer, use a GPS or even wash occasionally well it is time to take taxis off the road and financially punish the owner who allowed them in the drivers' seat. This is the only way that improvements will be implemented.


If a restaurant was dirty then the health department closes it down. The same principle should be used for taxis. If the driver, who actually represents the owner, misbehaves, then the owner should also be penalised.

As for CabCharge, well this is a cartel that rips off the public in a way that an allegedly dishonest politician from the left side of politics doesn't even come close to.

As has been demonstrated in, for example Bangkok, when there is viable competition in the form of a train system is implemented then taxi drivers have to shape up to convince the passengers that a taxi is worth taking.

 

[777]

Possibly you picked up a cab at the departures area? Against the rules, cheating an honest driver doing the right thing on the arrivals rank out of the fare he had waited for.

No thanks. That sort of culture of breaking the rules spreads and pretty soon you have cabbies who take their revenge and it all becomes a vicious circle.

I think it's a pretty well understood convention for short fares that it is polite to grab a cab dropping someone off than someone who has been waiting in line for 3 hours. Cabbies, the airport and people who live close to the airport seem to have a pretty good understanding of this unless i've missed something.

 

[Skyring]

I think it's a pretty well understood convention for short fares that it is polite to grab a cab dropping someone off than someone who has been waiting in line for 3 hours. Cabbies, the airport and people who live close to the airport seem to have a pretty good understanding of this unless i've missed something.

Maybe. It doesn't happen in Canberra.

And if a cabbie has been waiting idle for three hours, then that's poor planning on his part. Every decision by a cabbie on where to go to get more work is a bit of a gamble. We can't make someone take a taxi - we take our best guess as to the longest fare in the shortest time. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't, but in the end every passenger has exactly the same desire to get to their destination, otherwise they wouldn't have selected a cab. It's not up to the driver.

The big thing about an airport rank is that a fare is guaranteed - unless it's late at night. It's just a matter of waiting. It's a lazy way of doing things, and for many cabbies the social aspect of the airport cabyard is an incentive to stick around. There are friends, facilities, usually a food and drink outlet. The airport provides amenities to get cabbies to stick around and wait without pay. In summer, there's always the chance of a pickup cricket game. Indian drivers are keen. Tennis balls are the choice here, to avoid expensive hits.

But it's only partly the cabbie's fault. Taxis are an expensive and inefficient means of transport. A well-organised airport would be on a rail line, with bus stations and the sort of Super Shuttle vans they have in the States. Canberra is an especially poor example of a transport hub in this regard.

 

[oz_mark]

Surely it is time to start cancelling taxi licences and plates?

This morning I returned from the US and upon arrival at Melbourne I went upstairs to arrivals and saw a cabbie dropping off a fare. I asked him if he wanted a short fare to a nearby suburb. He was happy to accept.

Mind you the fare was >$30 so it wasn't too bad.

However, he put on a two dollar surcharge and upon arrival I asked why. He said it was an airport charge. I told him I knew he was lying and that he hadn't paid it and nor would I.

He removed it from the bill and gave me change to the cent. He forfeited a tip because of his dishonesty.

With no effective mechanism for punishing thieving drivers or the plate owner this will continue forever.

Upstairs is the departure area, and taxis are not supposed to be picking up passengers there.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

This thread has taken an interesting turn - each to his own - this is a 1st world country and I would expect 1[SUP]st[/SUP] world standards and practices - a taxi rank for incoming pax is a taxi rank - picking up cabs upstairs at dep is a big no no IMHO.

What about those parasites at int arrivals in MEL touting for fares as you exit arrivals hall – jeez do I give them an earful.

What about those jerks in PEK / PVG touting ‘taxi taxi’ as you exit arrivals hall – you know they are going to try to get up your skirt – jeez do I give them an earful.

But as I say – MEL is in 1[SUP]st[/SUP] world country – taxi ranks are there for a purpose IMHO and indeed that should be respected.