TRANSIT took note of this letter from Dr. Mahendran Maniam of Seri Kembangan, describing a shocking experience with a coupon taxi which charged him RM7 for a 500m journey.
Shocking cab fare for 500m journey (The Star)
I would like to share my dissatisfaction with the coupon system taxi service at the commuter station in Serdang, Selangor.
Due to heavy rain, I boarded a taxi from the station to go to South City Plaza, a mere 500m away.
I was shocked when told at the taxi ticketing booth that I had to pay RM7 for a 500m journey. My train journey from Serdang to Tanjong Malim cost me only RM6!
When I asked the clerk why the coupon was so expensive, she said all prices were approved by the LPKP and the licence given to Koperasi Pengangkutan Putrajaya dan Cyberjaya Berhad allowed them to charge such a price.
I think it is daylight robbery to do so.
Most of the passengers are average income earners and such an exorbitant coupon for such a short journey is definitely beyond the means of the commuters.
Why do we need the coupon service? Why let the cooperative make money at the misery of poor KTM commuters?
The relevant authority and the commuter station should not have allowed such a service to operate.
It would have cost me less than RM3.50 if I had used a normal metered taxi.
I urge all customers at the station to avoid using the couponed taxi services and use other means of public transportation.
DR MAHENDRAN MANIAM,
Seri Kembangan
TRANSIT Says:
This is not the first or last example of how coupon taxi companies are exploiting the weak enforcement of the CVLB and loopholes in the laws to allow them to charge these excessive amounts.
Moaz from TRANSIT recalls his anger over a trip from Putrajaya Sentral to the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism which cost RM9 for a distance of 4km – but clearly Dr. Mahendran’s experience is even worse.
We even have one report of taxi drivers charging RM12 between the Sg. Nibong bus terminal and the Queensbay Mall!
TRANSIT urges the public to push their MPs and complain publicly about these profiteering companies that take advantage of the public’s wish to avoid hassles & negotiations with taxi drivers (which shouldn’t be happening anyways).
As always your comments are welcome.
Transit Malaysia 
5 replies on “Shocking cab fare for 500m journey”
I took a cab at KTM Lama at 10 pm for Taman Seri Rampai. I asked him to turn on the meter but he said it’s late and he doesn’t use meter in any case, He demanded RM 50. On requesting to use meter, he began getting violent. I decided to take another cab and he started using cuss words and ugly gestures. I took another cab from KTM Lama itsel and the entire journey costed me only about RM 16.
I’ve always known Malaysia as a racism free country and was thinking of buying some properties here. This incident hurted my wife, who was with me at that time, that we have decided to not to invest here and leave the country soon, I’ve had encountered several such errant cab drivers earlier, but this guy was highly ridiculous. I think the cab no. was 6478. I hope such people are tackled striclty so as to save the lovely country form getting a bad reputation amongst the international tourists.
Regards,
Dear Transit,
I would like to complain about a taxi i took recently with my colleague and i Hope action be taken.
On 23/12/10 around 5 pm, we took a taxi at a stand near IJN to Titiwangsa station. Seconds after that, this taxi driver say that he want to took another route. and he didnt after we gave a negative expression. Then when reached the Bulatan Pahang, he not give up. So he suddenly turn towards chow kit. he say want to make a U-turn there cz of traffic. The traffic condition is like usual. i A journey that cost RM4.00 plus, at end become RM6.50. and i believe the taxi driver wishes for more by making long turn to our destination if he got chances.
We able to get the taxi number. but the Taxi ID picture displayed is different from the driver.
Some infomation :
TAXI : HBA 1068
Date/Time of Journey : 23/12/2010@ 5 PM plus.
From: Bus stop near Institut Jantung Negara.
To: Titiwangsa Station
Description of the taxi driver : Chubby Indian, speak English fluently. (different pic from the Taxi ID displayed.
Kindly catch this taxi driver and take necessary action. Most of Us, or at least me start to change bad perception on taxi in Klang valley. but if this kind of driver still exist , it will further tarnish taxi driver image in this country. and our taxi driver will be still Labeled as the worse in the world by an international tourist magazine in coming year.
@Goh
Thank you for the update. Have you forwarded this information to SPAD and CVLB yet? If not, please do and CC to us – we will also forward it directly to our contacts and remind them to take action.
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
I havent yet…what’s the SPAD and CVLB email? and urs ?
Hi @Goh
You can send your complaints to the following ways :
SPAD:
CVLB:
TRANSIT:
email klangvalley.transit@gmail.com
Hope this helps.
Regards, moaz for TRANSIT