SMRT TAXIS PTE LTD MUST DO BETTER TO GET ITS FINANCE HOUSE IN ORDER and address its short comings and not harass cabbies that are ignorant or illiterate into paying twice whatever was owing to SMRT previously. Some victims would not have the means or literacy to defend themselves should a civil suit launched to recover the settled amount again. On hindsight I was lucky to keep my settlement letter with smrt, because I had this gut feeling that smrt management cannot be trusted after my request for an independent brake test to be done on the vehicle after the accident was denied. You see, in December 2005 I signed up with SMRT Taxi for 3 months to drive their taxi after obtaining my taxi vocational licence sponsored by smrt. The contract pays $800/- pm, on condition I pick up minimun fares totalling $120/- per day every day. For this smrt will provide a taxi with insurance ( excess clause $900/- ), season parking reimbursement and diesel. If the per day rate is not met, they will pro-rate my wages accordingly. During the three month stint I was given a CLUNKER nearing its expiry date to drive and was involved in a front to back accident which I suspect caused by faulty brakes. My request for an independent test on the brakes was denied although I was willing to pay for it. Ok no issue with that but, during my time with smrt I paid up $832/- on 16th Jan 2006 to smrt for a tourist guide course to be conducted by Taxi Academy. The course was to start in the middle of Feb 2006. This was subsequently post-poned indefinitely due to insufficient student intake. I was given a choice of having my name on the register until there was sufficient student or get a refund. I opted for a refund which they did not refund and also part of my revenue sharing and March 06 season parking reimbursement was withheld due to the motor accident that happened in March 06 towards the tail end of my contract. My request for a copy of the brake test done by smrt workshop was also denied. Subsequently I lodged a claim at the small claims tribunal for the refund of my course fees on 17th Feb 2007 and a settlement was concluded with smrt official Mr. Dennis Cheung, Manager Credit Management. As agreed with Mr Dennis Cheung, I agreed to pay an additional $110/- to smrt to come to a full and final settlement. SMRT discharge letter was issued to me dated 06 Mar 2007. About 4 years ago smrt outsourced their debt collection to a professional debt collector to harass me for payment again. After I faxed a copy of the settlement letter to them nothing was heard of it until now. Last week on 11th Nov 2013 a staff from Abacus Credit called to say I owed smrt $838.01 and subsequently a letter of demand arrived on 14th Nov 2007. The letter state, unless payment is made to their client legal proceedings to enforce their rights will be instituted against me. Its a SAD day for SMRT if it had to try and recover the monies after more than 7 years which was not even owed to them. I dont think its a genuine mistake by the staff, its more likely their management system is complacent and deficient. I believe there is a time bar of 3 years. SMRT is phishing for a sucker pay up again. For your information the three months employment, whatever I earned is only enough to offset my lunch and coffee breaks for the 9-10 hours of driving after deducting payment for my/their mistakes. For my experience as a temporary cabby, I think it is one of the most difficult occupation where every customer is your boss. Thats another story I would like to write about in future when I am fully retired. Anyway thank you smrt for giving me the opportunity to familiarise myself with the roads and also tune up my driving skills after an absence of more than 10 years.
Posted on: Wed, 20 Nov 2013 08:30:14 +0000
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