Part-time SMRT cabbies locked out of taxis in server glitch
Screenshots from Facebook users Sheikh Mza and Lester Tan.
SINGAPORE — Part-time SMRT taxi drivers were locked out of their vehicles early Monday morning (Oct 30) in a three-hour server glitch on the transport operator’s short-term taxi rental service portal, SMRT Taxi Share.
Rolled out in January by SMRT, the service requires taxi drivers to prebook a taxi, head to the pick-up point closest to them, and get on taxishare.com.sg to indicate that they would like to “Start Trip” — a button that would only be enabled past the starting time of their booking — before their cars would be unlocked.
But drivers who went through their usual routine on Monday morning were met with an irresponsive ‘Start Trip’ button, although they were able to access the Taxi Share website.
Those attempting to end their rental reportedly faced problems doing so. Late charges are S$10 for every 15 minutes or part thereof.
In response to TODAY’s queries, SMRT taxi services’ general manager, Mr Shaun Lee, said: “Our Taxi Partners support team is aware of the temporary server glitch this morning, and has been reaching out to the handful of affected taxi partners. We will honour our taxi partners’ requests for refund upon verification.”
Eight drivers took their frustration to a Taxi Share Facebook group after having troubles reaching SMRT on its hotline. The earliest post was made at 4.30am. The system was restored shortly after 7am, according to a Taxi Share user who managed to unlock his car at 7.05am.
“I can’t unlock the car since 6am, and now (it’s) 7am. The clock (started) ticking. Please refund,” said Facebook user Lester Tan who was supposed to get on the Toyota Prius he rented from 6am to 2pm.
Another driver Leslie Chang posted: “I waited (for an) hour (but I) still can’t contact (the) SMRT officer. Can I cancel to get (a) refund from SMRT?”
Another Facebook user with the handle of Will Iam said he tried calling SMRT’s customer service hotline, but he was left waiting for at least 20 minutes.
“SMRT, if your system breaks down, please message or email to all drivers,” he wrote in his post.
A 43-year-old driver who only wanted to known as Alvin decided not to work after he stood outside his taxi for half an hour from 6am with little clue why his car would not unlock.
“So no income today... (The Taxi Share system for the) whole (of) Singapore is down, same as their trains,” he told TODAY, adding that the SMRT has promised a refund of his S$68 10-hour rental.
“It has happened to me twice so far (in seven months).”
SMRT’s Taxi Share scheme allows those with a taxi driving vocational license to rent taxis in three-hourly blocks by picking up and returning the taxi at a location that is convenient to them.
So far, SMRT is the only taxi operator adopting such a model where taxi drivers do not have to seek a relief driver to cover the cost of a rented vehicle should they not wish to commit full-time.
Hourly rental varies across the day between S$6.80 and S$S$12.80.
