Distorting Culture of Taxi

With the in mainland tourists, Macao residents need to face more and more social problems. Getting a taxi has now become a major headache. 

Fees for Macau Taxi

Taxis are the most convenient way to travel in Macau. 

There are two kinds of taxis in Macau, the yellow one and the black one. Yellow taxi does not allow to wait for passengers at the pier or casino.

Taxi Fares:

Standard rate is MOP$15.00 for the first 1,600 meters with MOP$1.50 added for every additional 230 meters. MOP$1.00 per 50 seconds is for waiting. Surcharge of MOP$3 is for each item of luggage. 

Surcharges:

MOP$5 from the airport or peninsular to Coloane; MOP$2 from Taipa to Coloane.No surcharge from Macau to Taipa or from the islands return to the peninsula.

For taxi service call 853 2851 9519 or 853 2893 9939.

Many drivers can speak English; all carry maps are written in Chinese, English and Portuguese.

 

Macau Taxi Situation

In Macau, everyone know it is difficult to find a taxi, particularly during the holidays.

The reason, most of taxis prefer to wait outside the casinos, often refusing to take local passengers so they can serve mainland ones who usually make longer drives, while produce more extra-tips. Especially during the Chinese New Year holiday, many taxi drivers will refuse to provide any service if passengers do not agree to give extra-tips or pocket money. 

From January to November last year, the Macau Department of Transportation received more than 1500 taxis violation cases. However only about three percent of the violators were punished, and only ten percent were even warned.

The Department does not deliberately ignore taxi violations. However, cracking down is not easy, due to a limited number of inspectors, lack of specific information, or passengers reluctant to engage in confrontations with drivers or who are visiting Macau as tourists and do not want to spend the time to pursue a complaint. As a result, the taxi situation in Macau continues to deteriorate, harming the city's reputation as a tourist destination.  

 

　　　　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
(Reference: Macau Daily, Department of Transportation)

Interview with Local and Driver

Macau Local Resident: Ken Leong

Local:
Name: Ken Leong

1. What transport would you like to take normally?

Ans: My main transport is the bus, because it is cheap.

2. When will you take taxi? Why?

Ans: I rarely take taxi, because it is quite expensive. And I also have the habit of driving. So it is non-essential to take taxi. I only take a taxi if I am pressed for time, it is raining or I have luggage.

3. Is it easy to hail a taxi? Why?

Ans: It is hard to get taxi, because I live in the Old Town where there are no casinos. Also, it is easier to get stuck in a traffic jam in the Old Town, so fewer taxis will go there.

4. Where do you mostly like to travel to? And how much is it?

Ans: I have never suffered from the problem of extra-charge. However, I have heard about that from my friends. The extra-charge problem happens mainly on typhoon days. 

5. Have you ever encountered any refusal of service or extra-charge by taxi drivers? When?

Ans: One day, my family and me were refused service. We were waiting for taxi in Macau Stadium. The taxi driver has actually seen us, and did not have a passenger, but he did not stop.

6. What attitude of taxi driver is while in service?

Ans: The taxi drivers’ attitude varies. I took taxis a lot when I was young, because my family had no car, we went out by taxi. I have remembered those taxis were very polite and kind. I have  less contact with driver nowadays. 

Macau Taxi Driver: Miller Chong

Taxi Driver:

Name: Miller Chong

1. How long have you been a taxi driver?

Ans: I have worked as taxi driver for a month.

2. What place do you mostly wait for passengers? Why?

Ans: We like to wait for passengers in the casinos, taxi stations or airport. The reason is that we have to pay rent for taxi. And we also need to pay fuel costs per mile. So the longer the distance, the more fuel costs. So we choose to wait for passengers in taxi station.

3. What target do you mostly like to provide service, locals or tourists? Why?

Ans: Most passengers are mainly from the mainland, and also locals. Most taxi drivers actually have contracts with the saunas, so taking guests to and from the saunas will earn commissions. We taxi drivers like driving mainland passengers as we can earn more money.

4. Have you ever required for extra-charge when it is during typhoon or rainstorms?
Ans: The reason for refusal of service is, first, that the destination is relatively close. Second is there is no passenger to be found at that destination. The third is that many people are drunk and make trouble late at night. We will not take them.
I have never worked on typhoon day, but I have heard that drivers will ask for extra-tips. How much they ask for, I have no idea.

I have never met drunk passengers who make trouble before, because I will not pass through the bar area while I am working at night. The passenger will vomit inside the taxi. Although they take the responsibility, I cannot work unless I finish the cleaning.

Further Discussion of Taxi Distribution
Most of taxi drivers like to wait for passengers in taxi station in casino, pier or airport after on-side and field research.

These two maps are the taxi distribution in Macau, Taipa and Coloena. The cross symbol means there is a place where taxi drivers like to wait. These are taxi stations at casinos, airport and piers, because most of passengers from mainland like to go from one casino to another. Many taxi drivers wait at the ferry pier or airport, so that they may earn more charges by crossing bridges on longer trips. The black bordered area is where the taxis always pass through. And the red bordered area is the old town. They rarely go into the red bordered area  if it is not necessary. As it is easy to get stuck in traffic jam and the road there is narrow. 

Complaint Case

The following figures show the increasing number of complaint about taxi.

Complaint Case from 2007 to 2012

The Probability of Happening Violation against Each Hour

This graph shows of probability of refusal of service taking place at any particular hour. It is clear that violation tend to occur at locations with heavy pedestrian demand and in the evenings when people are returning home from work or a night our.

Issuing Taxi Licenses, but Not Change Situation


Photo from: Macau Daily Time

The Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Lau Si Io, if supply did not meet the government might issue 200 new taxi licenses. Lau also did not rule out issuing even more licenses in the future.

In addition, he said the authority would begin consultations to draft new regulations to bring more taxi in to old districts away from the casinos.

So far, however, the situation remains grim. Most of taxi still flock to casinos and hotels. Most of taxis still flock to casinos and hotels. Many taxi drivers dislike going to the old town, because of traffic jams at peak hours.  To improve the situation, the government needs to adopt a new strategy, not just issue more licenses.

Macau Taxi Driver Interview

Macau Local Resident Interview

Further Discussion of Taxi Distribution

After the interviews, we have a rough concept of how this "Distorting Culture of Taxi" has happened. For a further discussion, it is necessary to know what the taxi distribution is. According what the taxi drivers said, it is found that most of taxi drivers like to wait for passengers in taxi station in casino, pier or airport after on-side and field research. 

These two maps are the taxi distribution in Macau, Taipa and Coloena. The cross symbol means there is a hot-pot where taxi drivers like to wait there. Those places are taxi stations at casinos, airport and piers. It is because most of passengers from mainland like to go between casino. Taxi drivers drive the mainland passengers from casino to another casino, and wait for other passengers there. They do not need to drive anywhere to wait for passenger. This will save him oil costs. Many taxi drivers wait at pier or airport, in order that they may earn more charges by passing through bridges for longer trip. The black bordered area is where the taxis always pass through. And the red bordered area is the old town. Actually, they rarely go into the red bordered area if not necessary. It is easy to catch in traffic jam there and the road there is narrow. These make taxi drivers or the one who drive to work be afraid.

Interview for Local and Driver

In order to further understand the taxi situation in Macau, we should do the interview with resident and taxi driver. Two people have done these interview with both of them get one. Both points of view are important while one can tell readers how effect the Macau government do well on the policy and the other one can represent the road and economic situation in Macau. 

Macau Local Resident: Ken Leong

Local:

Name: Ken Leong

E-mail: kenleong504@gmail.com

1.      What transport would you like to take normally?

Ans: My main transport is bus in daily, because it is cheap.

2.      When will you take taxi? Why?

Ans: I rarely take taxi, because it is quite expensive. And I also have the habit of driving. So it is non-essential to take taxi. I would like to take taxi unless I am pressed for time, it is raining or I have luggage in hand.

3.      Is it easy to hail a taxi? Why?

Ans: It is hard to get on taxi, because I live in Old Town. here is no casino around. As far as I know, most of taxi stays near casino, or It is easier to get on taxi in Dynasty Area. The other main factor is it is easy to catch in traffic jam in Old Town, fewer taxis will go through.

4.      Where do you mostly like to travel to? And how much is it?

Ans: I have never suffered from the problem of extra-charge. However, I have heard that from my friends before. The extra-charge problem mainly in typhoon day is deeply serious. Normally, it is not too obvious daily. 

5.      Have you ever encountered any refusal of service or extra-charge by taxi drivers? When?

Ans: Actually, One day, my family and me were refused of service. We were waiting taxi in Macau Stadium. Taxi driver has actually seen us, and there is no passenger or the symbol of Out-of-service inside, but he did not decelerate and show me yet. Perhaps he did not want to drive us or he had other passengers.

6.      What attitude of taxi driver is while in service?

Ans: The taxi drivers’ attitude vary from what kind of driver you encounter. I took taxi a lot when I was young, because my family has no car, we went out by taxi. I have remembered those taxis were very politely and kindly. I have very less contact with driver nowadays. I think attitude is nothing as driving the other transport.

Actually, I have met many kindly taxi drivers. For instance, I catch in traffic jam while selling flag before. Taxi driver thought us, the high school students were kind. They drove us to the destination without charging any bill. However, there are also bad drivers. Those taxi drivers’ driving attitude are not good.

Macau Taxi Driver: Miller Chong

Taxi Driver:

Name: Miller Chong

E-mail: chong.miller@facebook.com

1.      How long have you been a taxi driver?

Ans: I have worked as taxi driver for a month more. Although I have got the drivers’ license, I drive recently. Although I have got the drivers’ license, I drive recently. Although I have got the drivers’ license, I drive recently. So I join the taxi counterparts.

2.      What place do you mostly wait for passengers? Why?

Ans: We like to wait for passengers in casino, taxi station in Gate or airport. The reason is, we have to pay rent for taxi. And we also need to pay fuel costs for a mile, longer distance, more fuel costs. So we choose to wait for passengers in taxi station.

Most passengers normally go between the casinos. It makes me the taxi drivers be more convenient to pick up another passenger.

3.      What target do you mostly like to provide service, locals or tourists? Why?

Ans: Most passengers are mainly from mainland, and also from local. Most taxi drivers actually have contracts with Sauna. Meeting and Seeing off guests to Sauna will have rebates. So taxi drivers like travelling mainland one to earn more money while paying less hard.

4.     Have you ever required for extra-charge when it is during typhoon or rainstorms?
Ans: 
The reason for refusal of service, first is relatively close. Second is there is no passenger in that destination. So they are mostly refused. Third is many people are drunk and make trouble at mid-night. We will not travel them.
I have never worked on typhoon day, but I have heard that person of the same occupation will ask for extra-tips. How much they ask for, I have no idea.

I have never met drunk passenger who makes trouble before, because I will not pass through the bar area while I am working at night. The passenger will vomit inside the taxi. Although they take the responsibility, I cannot work unless the finish of cleaning.

Issuing Taxi Licenses, but Not Change Situation

Photo from: Macau Daily Times

The Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Lau Si Io said the issuing of 200 new taxi licenses was possible if the new supply still did not meet public demand. 

Lau also said that after adding 200 licenses to the market, the authority is now watching the latest situation on the roads closely, and has not ruled out the release of further licenses if the situation requires as more visitors are expected. 

Talking about residents’ ongoing complaints that most of the cabs flock to casinos and hotels leaving older district under-served, Lau said the authority would start the consultation and drafting of new regulations to govern the industry more closely and effectively, including bringing more vehicles into old districts. 

However, after issuing new taxi license, the situation does not change or becomes worse. Most of taxi still flock to casinos and hotels. Many taxi drivers are afraid of going inside the old town, because it is easy to catch in traffic jam at peak hours. Actually, if Macau government wants to improve the situation, she should do something on the policy and the strategy, not issuing more and more licenses.

Macau Taxi Situation

In Macau, everyone know it is difficult to get on a taxi, particularly during the holidays.

It is because most of taxi will stay and wait outside of casino or refuse taking any local passengers. They just want to serve mainland one for the longer drive and more extra-tips. And during Chinese New Year, it is quite serious about what many taxi drivers will ask passengers for extra-tips or pocket money. If refuse, they will not provide any services.

It is found that on the last year of January to November, the Department of Transportation has received a total of more than fifteen hundred cases about taxis violation. However only about 3% of illegal drivers have been punished by law, about 10% have been advised metaphorical or alerted. And the rest has been ended up with nothing definite.

For taxi violations, the Department is not taking a blind eye. She also takes the action on it. However, cracking down on taxi violation is not easy. It is limit to many factor:

1.) A limited number of inspectors.

2.) Unable to do law enforcement for a whole day.

3.) The complainant could not provide specific information

4.) Do not want to have confrontation with the driver

5.) Most of the complainant are the tourists or the local one who are in hurry

In a result, part of the illegal taxi drivers go form bad to worse. The bad ambiance spreads out as Infectious disease. This cause an adverse impact on the image of the city of Macau Tourism.

(Reference: Macau Daily,  Department of Transportation)

Fees for Macau Taxi

Taxis are the most convenient way to travel in Macau. There are two kinds of taxis in Macau, the yellow one and the black one, yellow taxi is not available to the pier or casino line up for waiting passenger.

Taxi Fares:

Standard rate is MOP$15.00 for the first 1,600 meters with MOP$1.50 added for every additional 230 meters. MOP$1.00 per 50 seconds is for waiting. Surcharge of MOP$3 is for each item of luggage. 

As for Surcharges:

MOP$5 from the airport or peninsular to Coloane; MOP$2 from Taipa to Coloane.No surcharge from Macau to Taipa or from the islands return to the peninsula.  

For taxi service call 853 2851 9519 or 853 2893 9939.

Many drivers can speak English; all carry maps are written in Chinese, English and Portuguese.