Metro

Friday June 20, 2008

Cabbies claim gas costing more

By DEBBIE CHAN


THE NGV pump meter reads 68 sen per litre but taxi drivers claim that they are paying more for a full tank of natural gas.

For taxi driver Ramesh Kumar, who uses a Proton Iswara, a full tank of natural gas used to cost him RM8.20 but now he has to pay about RM10.

“We didn’t realise it at first but over the past week when we (taxi drivers) compared notes, we discovered that we have been paying slightly more for natural gas although the meter still reads 68 sen,” Ramesh said.

Baffled: The drivers stationed at the Taman Jaya LRT station are asking for an explanation on the silent increase.

“We are baffled at this situation and are wondering what is happening,” he said.

Ramesh is one of the many taxi drivers stationed at the Taman Jaya LRT terminal in Petaling Jaya and they usually refill their gas tanks in the vicinity of Kelana Jaya and Sungei Way.

“This subtle increase is surely suspicious. We know our vehicles very well and often look out for the amount that we spend on gas,” Ramesh said.

“Although some of my friends did not realise it at first, they now can feel the pinch because the increase amounts to a lot in the long run,” he said.

According to another taxi driver, Syed Abu Bakar, one of his fellow taxi drivers even paid up to RM10.50 for a full gas tank when the usual cost is only about RM8.50.

When the cabbies asked the station attendants about the matter, the ignorant attendants would just shake their heads.

“The attendants, too, are baffled about the situation and they do not know what’s going on,” Abu Bakar said.

The recent petrol price increase is also affecting the taxi drivers because when the natural gas runs out and they are unable to refill their gas tanks, they have to switch to using petrol instead.

“Sometimes, when the natural gas runs out at the station or when we travel to areas which do not have natural gas pumps, we have to use petrol and it is very expensive for us,” Abu Bakar said.

“The increase in petrol price and this subtle increase in natural gas cost are taking a toll on our revenue. Our meter is still starting at RM2 despite the inflationary situation now,” Ramesh said.

“Our earnings are not sufficient to match the increasing cost of living. We taxi drivers are having a hard time surviving,” he said.

Some taxi drivers use the Proton Waja and have to bear higher petrol and natural gas cost as well as maintenance cost but they can only charge RM2 starting fare.

“It’s unfair and there isn’t a system to protect us taxi drivers. I can’t afford to install the NGV system in my car, so I’m using petrol. I spend up to RM100 a day on petrol but my earnings are only half of that,” Abdul Karim Abdul Rahman said.

“It’s difficult because the government doesn’t have a system to help drivers like me,” Karim said.

The taxi drivers want an explanation on why they are paying more for natural gas now.

“If they want to increase the price, they must announce it publicly, not do it on the quiet,” Ramesh said.

“If the price of natural gas is increased, then the government should review our fare structure and give us a higher starting meter fare than the current RM2,” he said.

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