LTA to explore easing tight COE supply

[inlinesix]

then the owners wil kaopeh like they kaopeh the high coe now. the carpark shortage becomes the next national issue and a more serious one as the pple have parted money and have vested interest.

 

is tat stil a good solution?

With high COE, ppls are not given a chance to own car.

 

W/o COE, ppls are given a chance to own car. It is individual planning & decision to buy car or not. Juz like HK & Tokyo.

 

By the way, COE cushion off any economic downturn which suppose to push car sales down.

Edited May 22, 2012 by Davidtch

[Maroon5]

With high COE, ppls are not given a chance to own car.

 

W/o COE, ppls are given a chance to own car. It is individual planning & decision to buy car or not. Juz like HK & Tokyo.

 

By the way, COE cushion off any economic downturn which suppose to push car sales down.

 

its gonna b a bigger problem, considering our existing carpark infrastructure.

in HK and tokyo, its cheap to buy but they too have to produce some verification of carpark ownership to buy a car.

and in sg context, thats jus gonna benefit the rich further.

[Elmo]

I think all cars should be like taxis with a meter. And you pay for the distance you drove. Different rates for different time of the day. No need ERP gantries. Monthly or daily your meter will just sync with designated wifi pts and deduct from your bank account.

This will make drivers calculate and plan each trip for a more efficient journey.

 

 

[13177]

I think all cars should be like taxis with a meter. And you pay for the distance you drove. Different rates for different time of the day. No need ERP gantries. Monthly or daily your meter will just sync with designated wifi pts and deduct from your bank account.

This will make drivers calculate and plan each trip for a more efficient journey.

Sounds like those car sharing club, drive as you pay. If there really install such meter on cars, i rather join those car sharing club than buy car.

[Elmo]

Sounds like those car sharing club, drive as you pay. If there really install such meter on cars, i rather join those car sharing club than buy car.

Car sharing not every time can get a car when you need them and all members want them at the same peak time.

Collection also at weird places and after late night return still have to LL take taxi home.

[Maroon5]

I think all cars should be like taxis with a meter. And you pay for the distance you drove. Different rates for different time of the day. No need ERP gantries. Monthly or daily your meter will just sync with designated wifi pts and deduct from your bank account.

This will make drivers calculate and plan each trip for a more efficient journey.

 

it doesnt solve the congestion problem. u know in china its roughly like that. they factor the "erp" or usage costs into their petrol tats y their petrol is also not tat cheap like S$1.30 per litre. i had thot if it works for singapore but until they increase the 3/4 tank to full tank, it wont work.

[Elmo]

it doesnt solve the congestion problem. u know in china its roughly like that. they factor the "erp" or usage costs into their petrol tats y their petrol is also not tat cheap like S$1.30 per litre. i had thot if it works for singapore but until they increase the 3/4 tank to full tank, it wont work.

 

True. Singaporeans have high threshold against $ increase.

I was just wondering will the constant reminder of how much $ is being burnt as you drive make it a more unattractive journey to take.

I am talking about my own stress whenever I'm in a taxi and seeing the meter advance.

Probably initially it will be painful to watch but as with all measures that involve $ increase, we get used to it after a while.

 

[Maroon5]

True. Singaporeans have high threshold against $ increase.

I was just wondering will the constant reminder of how much $ is being burnt as you drive make it a more unattractive journey to take.

I am talking about my own stress whenever I'm in a taxi and seeing the meter advance.

Probably initially it will be painful to watch but as with all measures that involve $ increase, we get used to it after a while.

 

haha ya i know wat i mean. tats y i thk drivers hate to take taxis, not jus the meter jumps but also the diff taxi drivers' driving styles can sometimes drive u crazy

[Customgolf]

Personally I dun see the flaw. Taxis and private are cars that travel on Sinapore roads. It is reasonanle to be part of COE what.

 

One is making money for the company and the other is loosing money for the owner and there is no flaw?

[Elmo]

RE: taxi meters in all private passenger cars.

The damn ERP card reader is the meter. Think of the amount of money in the cashcard as the maximum amount (distance?) you are able to run that day.

 

Get used to the COE bidding and higher ERP charges. They are here to stay.

 

Once it becomes this

 

It will beep like a meter. Haha.

[Maroon5]

The groundwork for carpark space purchasing has already been laid. URA residential building amendment last year removed the requirement to have certain percentage of parking lots in relation to residential units per project.

 

Soon the smart developers will use the extra freed space for residential units too, and start to ballot or sell the remaining car park lots. Only a case of who blink first among the developers. This is the HK and Tokyo situation, not a case of gahment intervention with rules like one family-one flat-one car park space. Rules like this work in commune only not the capitalist "free" market.

 

On the HDB end, already there is talk of pricing season parking in CBD and prime areas in line with market rates. Season parking is a form of mid-term car park rental.

 

yes all the more COE cant be abolished. there needs to b some barriers to normal ownership. abnormal or special needs car ownership shd b considered in case by the authorities.

[Krisandro]

The COE system is a necessity to regulate the number of cars on the roads. There's no doubt in that because we have millions sharing space on "a very small plot of land".

 

We can't issue COEs based on needs or wants because there is no way the authorities can assess that easily or accurately. It's really a question of affordability and since that is the case, the rich will get their cars; it's just the way it is.

 

Releasing more COEs for the moment is just a knee jerk reaction to appeasing the current sentiments; it's just a matter of a slow death or a fast one.

 

Possible solutions?

1) Pay for what you bid. If you can afford to bid $90,000 or afford to wait with a risky $1 bid, you pay the amount. Demand is always more than supply. The number of quota will always be met so even if everyone bids $1, it's all a matter of luck.

 

2) Taxis may drive on the same roads and park in the same carparks but they are really just expensive public transportation. Have a different cat for them. It will lower the total available COEs but the same can be said for every other cat in the COE system. Does it matter if the companies "parkart" and bid for $1? No. I'd be happy for them. These taxis will help reduce cars on the road. Besides, the taxis are not in a monopoly, they will still need to duke it out for the COEs so I don't think it will happen.

 

3) Demolish the stupid ERP system or at least stop increasing it. It's just a small deterrence for people entering the restricted areas. If drivers need to get in, they will do so. If it's crowded and drivers still want to get in, deal with the traffic.

 

4) There was an interesting suggestion on "drive more, pay more using GPS." Not technologically feasible but how about having a government imposed levy for the fuel. I know I will be flamed for this but it's very fair. If you drive more or use a fuel-guzzling car, you'll have to pay more. With this, we can even remove the yearly road taxes. Some extensive study will have to be done with regards to average mileage for local cars but I think this will work in the long run. Adjustments can be incrementally made to improve traffic flow in the future as well.

 

5) IMPROVE THE BLOODY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION! If we can't even have an affordable, reliable, (relatively) comfortable transport system, how the *toot* do I even get from point A to B? (Apart from cycling and walking)

 

COEs will always be in short supply and it should always be so in our case. In reference to point 1), you bid for what you can afford and should you get it, never complain for what you paid because you got what you asked for.

 

Btw, this is a low-medium income individual who just got his license recently and knows that there is no way he can afford a new car.

 

I'd love to consider a used car in the next few years but damn it's still expensive!

[King]

it is time to change hand, so what it fail?????

 

 

[Topspin]

4) There was an interesting suggestion on "drive more, pay more using GPS." Not technologically feasible but how about having a government imposed levy for the fuel. I know I will be flamed for this but it's very fair. If you drive more or use a fuel-guzzling car, you'll have to pay more. With this, we can even remove the yearly road taxes. Some extensive study will have to be done with regards to average mileage for local cars but I think this will work in the long run. Adjustments can be incrementally made to improve traffic flow in the future as well.

 

Transfering the ERP type tax into the fuel will not be fair to those who don't contribute to the jams or deliberately avoid peak hours or avoid busy roads, e.g. weekend car drivers, or those night shift worker driving to work at 12 midnight, etc.

Edited May 23, 2012 by Topspin

[Krisandro]

Transfering the ERP type tax into the fuel will not be fair to those who don't contribute to the jams or deliberately avoid peak hours or avoid busy roads, e.g. weekend car drivers, or those night shift worker driving to work at 12 midnight, etc.

 

It's all about reducing the general number of vehicles on the road at any one time. It's not just to reduce jams but to promote healthy living (walk more lar!) and to reduce our carbon footprint. It also acts as a deterrence to people looking to even buy a car. We have limited space so it just boils down to giving up the right to cars to people who have special needs and those who can afford it.

 

The OPC drivers or the night shift worker (assuming he is using an OPC) are already making savings through the rebate and the 6 monthly cash savings. I see your point that the OPC system is to help owners who are not generally contributing to traffic jams to own a car so I believe that if the removal of the road tax didn't help to maintain the costs of drivers like them, more changes can be made to the OPC system to accommodate.

[Maroon5]

COE, ERP and ARF/PARF all serve to pinch our pockets as a tax/tariff. But a continually improving taxation policy must make the pinch equitable across more income groups.

 

Those who need bread-and-butter private transportation should be given a chance to buy a new car if they can afford it. Just need to protect them from being crowded out by the more affluent who want a car badge for status signalling on top of the luxury of private transportation. And also educate them about "affordability".

 

However, private transportation is not an entitlement. Those who insist on one-family-one-car are dreaming. And let's not even get into banning car use or purchases for foreigners because that's just shameful, self-centred attitude.

 

hmmm not really la....there are a hundred and one other ways to milk us seriously. jus thk the single provider services tat we are given access to. but i def do thk a rethink may b needed for the categories. eg Cat A - supposed to cater to the average families but nowadays cat a cars are nothing like for the average families.

 

as for your 2nd pt, why mus need new car? there r tons of 06 cars selling at 30k (mthly instalments $500) tat wil serve their bnb needs. unless of cos even 2nd hand cars are speculated upon, making it totally out of reach then yes i thk the gahmen mus step in.

[inlinesix]

its gonna b a bigger problem, considering our existing carpark infrastructure.

in HK and tokyo, its cheap to buy but they too have to produce some verification of carpark ownership to buy a car.

and in sg context, thats jus gonna benefit the rich further.

Ppl can go ahead to complain lack of car park. But have they consider where to keep their car before purchase?

 

For selfish reason, i have no issue with car park. If my estate got no space, i juz park in the office loh. The most i ride bicycle to collect my car [laugh]

[inlinesix]

This is happening now with the regular review of ERP rates. Just that it's politically sensitive to suggest heavy increase in CBD ERP charges at the moment with all this inflation scares. But I have no doubt that we will approach London's congestion charge of S$20 sooner or later.

 

But if you are suggesting ERP charges for all roads even at off-peak hours, then it is totally politically unsound and will never be tabled. Gahment only interested in regulating traffic into and out of CBD areas during rush hours.

It will not be politically sensitive provided public transport is efficient unlike now. In addition, there must be overlapping service btw bus & MRT. This is to ensure that ppl have a choice as well as insurance against MRT breakdown.

 

In the situation i mentioned, ppl has the option:

1. Drive

2. Taxi

3. MRT

4. Bus

 

Ppl can choose mode of transport dependant on affordability.