WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1979
6
ON THE SUGGESTION TO BE ALLOWED TO REFUSE CERTAIN FARES DURING SHIFT CHANGE, MISS DUNN SAID IT HAD BEEN SUGGESTED THAT, PROVIDED A DRIVER FIRMLY AFFIXED A CARD SHOWING THE TIME AND
PLACE OF HIS SHIFT CHANGE, HIS REFUSAL TO ACCEPT PASSENGERS FOR DESTINATIONS NOT ON THE ROUTE OF HIS DEPOT MIGHT NOT CONSTITUTE THE OFFENCE OF WILFULLY REFUSING A HIRE.
THE ARRANGEMENT, HOWEVER, COULD NOT BE GIVEN LEGAL STATUS.
SHE SAID THE MAJORITY OF UNOFFICIALS FELT STRONGLY THIS RIGHT OF REFUSAL SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED, FOR IT WAS LIKELY TO LEAD TO ABUSE, BEARING IN MIND THAT SHIFT CHANGING WAS THE ORIGIN OF THE NOW RAMPANT MALPRACTICES.
WHILE SHE SYMPATHISED WITH THE DRIVERS' DESIRE TO MAXIMISE THEIR INCOME SHE THOUGHT THE NEW FARE STRUCTURE WOULD OFF-SET ANY LOSS IN INCOME DURING THE HALF-HOUR SHIFT CHANGE.
AS TO THE UNION'S THIRD POINT THAT THE STIFFER PENALTIES WOULD BRING ABOUT A PSYCHOLOGICAL BURDEN ON DRIVERS, MISS DUNN SAID SHE WAS SURE THE TAXI TRADE WOULD AGREE THAT LAW-ABIDING DRIVERS HAD NOTHING TO FEAR AND THOSE WHO CONTINUED TO FLOUT THE LAW WOULD GET ONLY WHAT THEY DESERVED.
+FURTHERMORE, PUBLIC DISSATISFACTION IS NOW SUCH THAT ANY DELAY IN BRINGING IN STIFFER SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES FOR MALPRACTICES WILL SIMPLY NOT BE ACCEPTED AND I AM AFRAID THE MOTOR TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION MUST ACCEPT THAT REALITY,+ SHE SAID.
MR. JAMES WU SUGGESTED TAXI FARE INCREASES SHOULD BE $3 FOR THE FIRST 1.5 KILOMETRE AND 20 CENTS FOR EVERY SUBSEQUENT ONE-FIFTH OF A KILOMETRE AND A CHARGE OF 20 CENTS FOR EVERY MINUTE OF WAITING TIME, ALLOWING FOR A 50-60 PER CENT GENERAL INCREASE.
HE SAID THIS SCALE OF FARES WOULD HAVE MANY ADVANTAGES:
* IT ALLOWS FOR A GRADUAL AND REASONABLE INCREASE,
* IT GIVES A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE THE
METRIC SYSTEM IN DISTANCE MEASUREMENT,
* IT WILL ENCOURAGE DRIVERS TO PICK UP BOTH LONG
AND SHORT JOURNEY PASSENGERS. UNDER GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL, TAXI DRIVERS WILL, FOR EXAMPLE, ONLY GET A 25-30 PER CENT INCREASE ON A TRIP FROM STAR FERRY TO MAGAZINE GAP ROAD OR CONDUIT ROAD WHICH ARE HIGHLY CONGESTED,
* IT IS PERFECTLY EASY TO ADJUST THE METER FOR THE
NEW FARE,
* IT WILL NOT UNDULY DISCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE TAXIS
TO GO TO GREATER DISTANCE IN A HURRY, AND
* BECAUSE OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE DRIVER TO PICK UP LONG DISTANCE PASSENGERS, TAXIS WILL NOT AGGRAVATE TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN THE BUSY CITY CENTRES.
/MR.WU.....