KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 — Some taxi drivers have lost up to RM500 to recalibrate their meters.
The drivers pay about RM100 to get the meters recalibrated, before paying RM50 for Puspakom inspection. In between, they are unable to pick up passengers and lose their daily takings.
The taxis must get their meters inspected before they are allowed to charge the new fares.
M. Shankaraj, 53, lost three working days to get his meter recalibrated and inspected. He earns about RM120 a day.
“I went to get my meter recalibrated at about noon on Thursday and waited for my turn until 5.30pm before I got my meter done. I had to pay RM100,” he said.
“The following day, I drove to Puspakom to get the taxi inspected and after a three-hour wait, I was told my taxi could not be inspected as there were too many taxis (waiting in line).”
“On Saturday, I tried my luck again only to be told this time the inspection could not be done because of the high volume of vehicles.
“That’s plenty of money and time wasted. For us time is money. I hope the authorities will stick to the new rates.”
Shankaraj said he would visit the Puspakom centre again today.
Fabian Thean, 64, recalibrated his meter on Thursday, the same day SPAD announced the revised rates.
“I was lucky as I only waited for two hours to get the meter done. But the following day, I was forced to wait at Puspakom for seven hours for the car to be inspected,” he said.
“The fees are too hefty. We are already taking time off from work ... that means we don’t have income for the day and we have to spend about RM150.”
Thean said the same exercise cost RM70 in 2009. That was the same year the taxi fares were last revised.
