Bev Wong, a single mother from Brixton, south London, would never have taken her teenage daughters to visit a university like Oxford. It wasn’t just that she and other moms in her community didn’t believe elite universities wanted black kids from public schools. They also couldn’t afford to take public transport to get there.

But after being approached at her local church, Wong became a member of Parent Power, a program run by the prestigious King’s College London and community charity Citizens UK. The goal of the project was to listen to what deterred underrepresented parents from encouraging their children to attend selective colleges, and then form groups of parents to talk to others and campaign for fair conditions in the education of their children.

The first thing Wong’s group did was write to Oxford University. “People like me don’t have the networks or the money, but don’t think we don’t want the same things,” she says. “All the parents I talk to have big aspirations for their kids. They just don’t know who to turn to with questions.

After hearing from Wong’s parent group, Oxford University sent a coach to pick them up for an open day. And so many local parents and teenagers signed up that some had to be turned away.

After that, the group reached out to Cambridge, but this time they didn’t just ask for a coach, they said they also wanted to meet black students their teenagers could relate to and have hands-on activities.

Wong says: “When we heard from Oxford, we were like, ‘Wow, just a letter from us did this!’ The second time we had a plan of what we needed.

For years, efforts to expand access to top universities have focused solely on reaching disadvantaged children in school. But the Brilliant Club, a charity working on social mobility, decided that real change would only happen if universities also reached out to parents. The charity has set up Parent Power groups in Cardiff, Fenland and Knowsley and is planning more.

Anne-Marie Canning, the charity’s new CEO, remembers her mother being the go-to person at the Asda supermarket where she worked for any colleagues who had questions about their children’s college. Canning’s vision is to have a network of grassroots working class ambassadors like her mother across the country.

Social mobility experts say this approach shouldn’t stop at universities and if ministers are serious about closing the achievement gap they need to get parents on board at home. They argue that parents are the missing link in the government’s forthcoming schools white paper. This should set a new target of ensuring that 90% of children leaving primary school have achieved the expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics by 2030. In 2019, this figure was 65%.

Susie Whigham, acting CEO of the Brilliant Club, says the government should encourage parents from disadvantaged backgrounds to be more engaged. “There are things parents can do like reading to their child, which can have a significant impact if it becomes a daily routine. But it must be communicated in a way that recognizes the pressures parents face.

Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, said: ‘I think the government has a real opportunity to seize the nettle by encouraging schools to develop parental engagement plans. Otherwise, I’m afraid we won’t see much change in literacy and numeracy levels. »

Elliot Major is leading a research project assessing the backgrounds of children born at the turn of the millennium who ended up with less than a 4 (a former C grade) in the GCSE of English and Maths. Researchers found that three-quarters of children who struggled to pass language tests at age three failed to do well (Grade 4) in math and English at age 16. He says that means they will have trouble reading a train timetable or understanding a payslip.

He calls for a public campaign on the importance of parents spending 20 minutes a day reading with their children. “Schools are not a strong enough force to tackle the country’s shockingly high rates of illiteracy and illiteracy,” he says, adding that, at a minimum, it’s “absolutely essential” for parents to read to their children. children in the early years.

Professor Becky Francis, chief executive of the Education Endowment Foundation, a charity that focuses on overcoming social inequalities, says her research has shown that involving parents can lead to four-month progress over the course of a year for students. But the catch is that there’s no clear consensus on what actually works to attract parents. “We’ve tested several approaches, but the consistent message is that it’s really hard,” she admits.

On an engagement program he piloted, participation quickly declined among parents from lower socioeconomic groups, while middle-class parents continued to show up. She admits that’s a problem: Reaching out to parents risks giving the sharp-elbowed middle class an extra edge and widening the achievement gap even further.

She says, “These parents have often had a negative experience of school themselves and they find them intimidating places.”

The principal of a town center primary school, who asked not to be named, said: ‘Parents who live in poverty often did not have this support when they were children.

His school offers underprivileged families a loan of iPads after midterm so they can access online books purchased by the school. She says: “We will be booking parent workshops again, but attendance is generally low. We have never been able to solve this problem. She says some of the parents at her school cannot read English and may not be literate in their native language either, which makes it much more difficult to encourage them to read stories to their children.

Research by the National Literacy Trust has found that many children live in homes without books and that one in 11 children in the poorest households does not own even a single book.

Liberty Venn, founder of the charity Children’s Book Project, says poverty is increasingly a factor: “If you have to choose between feeding your children, buying new school shoes or paying for heating, you will do well course a swerve down the aisle of books. Tesco. »

Venn’s charity aims to distribute 250,000 nearly new books to children in the country’s most disadvantaged primary schools this year.

Chris Dyson, headmaster of Parklands School, one of the most deprived primary schools in Leeds, says persistence is key. Many of his parents have “really bad” memories of their own time at school. When he took over, he says he invited all the parents to hear his plans and bought 80 donuts from Marks & Spencer as an incentive. Only a handful showed up. But he continued to invite them and buy donuts, and before the pandemic, as many as 150 parents showed up for his weekly assembly “while singing, while dancing.”

“It’s a matter of perseverance,” he says. “And if you do it right, the word passes.”

He has other ways of bringing families. The school runs a cooking club where children and parents can cook together. He is so popular that he now opens school for the club during the holidays. “They bring home a chicken hunter who will feed their family of five for a fiver and they think that’s great,” he says.

As a result, parents are now signing up for workshops on how to help their child with reading or math, and training to improve their own lives, such as interview skills.

The government is expected to allow at least four motorbike taxi companies, not just two, to participate in its pilot program, as the Philippines transitions into a “new normal” that could once again see high demand for public transport.

“As we reopen the economy, we will need public transport. The land sector – rail, buses, jeepneys – is not yet ready for a surge in demand from commuters,” said Representative Edgar Sarmiento , chairman of the House Transportation Committee, in a radio interview.

Sarmiento said he would ask the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to explain why only two companies – Angkas and JoyRide – are currently participating in his motorcycle taxi pilot program. A third player, Move It, has too insignificant a footprint in the company to count.

There should be at least four players on the program so commuters have more choice, he said. He said trains, buses and jeepneys are still limited to occupying only 70% of their seats.

“That means 30% are dislocated. How are they going to move? As we reopen the economy, everyone needs to be ready, including two-wheelers, motorcycle taxis,” he said.

There are now over 7 million motorcycles across the Philippines compared to just 3.5 million in 2010.

Sarmiento said just a fraction of that number would be more than enough to meet the needs of the traveling public.

Sarmiento is the lead author of House Bill 10572, which seeks to legalize and regulate the operations of companies providing motorcycle rental services.

Once it becomes law, the bill will allow all qualified businesses that employ motorcyclists through ride-sharing apps to transport passengers or deliver food, parcels and mail to obtain a government franchise. .

The bill, which is a consolidation of 18 other proposals, has already passed third reading.

But progress has been stalled in the Senate, which is working on a different version that may require consolidation by a bicameral conference committee.

But discussions on the Senate bill are stalled.

Sarmiento said he remains hopeful that President Rodrigo Duterte can sign the motorcycle taxi law before stepping down this year.

The law will replace the LTFRB pilot program.

VM Pensions Management has formed an alliance with Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services, TODSS, to serve as the official pension provider for transport operators in its network.

The individual pension scheme, which was launched on Thursday, will target some 5,000 TODSS-registered transport operators, then expand beyond that later to another 30,000 people who make up the public transport services sector.

TODSS, whose members include taxi service providers, operates as a lobby and promotional organization for the transportation industry, focusing primarily on research, training, logistics, road safety, and member representation. The association has existed for 19 years.

The TODSS pension scheme is the first specifically for operators in the transport services industry, 75% of whom enter retirement age without sufficient savings, said TODSS Chairman Egerton Newman. financial gleaner.

VM Pensions Management Limited entered into the pension deal almost a year after working closely with the transport group. The two, for example, partnered on a business and investment seminar for TODSS members last July.

“This group is very critical. We put our families in their hands on a daily basis, but when they reach retirement age, they have little to look forward to. And so, it’s more than just a business for us, it’s a contribution to national development,” said VM Pensions CEO Conroy Rose. The annualized return of the VM Pensions schemes is around four to five percent.

Persons eligible for participation in the VM-TODSS pension scheme include bus drivers, conductors, taxi operators, public transport owner-operators and “loaders”. Participants can contribute up to 20% of their annual salary, payable at least once a year.

At retirement age, or when the contributor suffers a permanent disability, if this occurs, VM Pensions will pay a monthly sum for the purchase of food and general expenses.

“We have a lot of young people coming into the industry now who will benefit from this initiative, among other things that VM Group will offer the industry,” Newman said.

Once in the database, VM Pensions will seek to aggregate life insurance, savings and investment products across the VM group for self-employed and contract workers. British Caribbean Insurance Company, BCIC, an affiliate of the VM Group, will serve as the official insurer for TODSS.

“There are special offers for these operators across the group, including discounted services at VM Money Transfer and an attractive savings option with the Victoria Mutual Building Society, once they have signed up for the scheme. retirement,” Rose said.

The VM Pensions and TODSS teams will start an awareness campaign around the pension scheme in Ste Catherine from next week, before moving to other parishes.

“We want to demystify retirement myths. People often confuse pension plans with insurance contracts, and they think if they stop paying, they’ll lose their money,” Rose said.

karena.bennett@gleanerjm.com

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, today set out details of the price changes required for TfL services from 1 March 2022, under terms set out in the short-term extension to TfL’s funding agreement with the government.

The mayor said he had done all he could to keep this increase as low as possible for Londoners and was ‘helping to ensure that the capital’s economic recovery is both green and sustainable’ by encouraging people to use public transport and return to central London.

Details released today show fares will increase by an average of 4.8%.

These rate changes are put in place to help ensure that TfL can achieve financial sustainability by April 2023 in line with the long-term objective of the funding agreements, while ensuring that the rate increase is as affordable as possible. possible for Londoners, the mayor said.

While the overall level of fares set by TfL will increase by an equivalent of RPI+1, some individual Metro fares will increase by more or less than this amount due to rules stating that increases can only be made in increments of 10 pence.

Tube-only fares in Zone 1 will drop from £2.40 to £2.50. Passengers traveling longer distances on TfL services will see a slight increase to bring them more in line with nearby National Rail fares.

While single pay-per-view fares on the Tube, DLR and most TfL-run rail services will rise by RPI+1, single fares on buses and trams will rise by 10p to £1.65, and the cap daily will increase by 30 pence to £4.95.

Given that rail revenues are significantly higher than bus and tram revenues, and TfL has planned an overall fare increase of RPI+1 to achieve financial sustainability in line with funding agreements, bus and tram fares will have to increase by the equivalent of RPI + 2.7% to reach the overall increase.

The ‘Hopper’ fare, which was introduced by the Mayor in September 2016, remains in place and will continue to save Londoners money by offering unlimited one-hour bus and tram journeys for the price of one rate.

Since its introduction, more than 600 million Hopper fare trips have been made. Sadiq has taken steps to ensure that all current concessions, including free travel for young people under 18 and discounts for students, apprentices and those with certain benefits, also remain in place.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “Public transport should be affordable for everyone, and I have taken bold steps to achieve this since becoming mayor by introducing the Hopper unlimited bus fare and freezing all TfL fares from 2016 to 2021 – saving the average London household exceeds £200.

“Since TfL’s finances have been decimated by the pandemic, the government has set strict conditions under the emergency funding agreements to maintain essential transport services in London. We have been forced into this position by the government and the way they continue to refuse to properly fund TfL, but I have done everything in my power to keep fares as affordable as possible.

Shashi Verma, Chief Strategy Officer at TfL, said: “This tariff package aims to keep tariffs as affordable as possible while ensuring that TfL can continue to offer clean, green and safe services and support the continued recovery. economy of London. With daily and weekly capping, as well as Hopper fare and our wide range of concessions, passengers can continue to receive the best fare using pay-as-you-go with contactless and Oyster.

Phuket, like any attraction, relies on a positive image with potential visitors. However, such an image is still likely to be marred by high-profile crimes as well as a perceived lack of security.

Recent news reports of crimes on the island have put the reputation of the “Pearl of the Andaman” on the line. And they have arrived at the least opportune moment given that the island province has positioned itself as a main engine to revive the tourist sector of the country battered by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Provincial authorities have taken stock of the incidents and are moving quickly to address them to control the impacts on Phuket tourism, which is paving the way for the wider industry to restart in the country.

“We need to maintain a welcoming image. We have tried to prevent any setback to our reputation. Sometimes we succeed, other times we don’t,” said Pichet Panapong, deputy governor of Phuket.

negative publicity

Since the middle of last month, negative publicity has dominated the headlines, ranging from the overcharging of taxi fares, the theft of €5,000 (about 200,000 baht) from a family of Greek tourists and a scam at a call center that went after a Swiss who lost 57,000 baht.

But Phuket’s image as a safe tourist haven took an even bigger blow two weeks ago when an Indian gangster, Jimi Singh Sandhu, also known as Mandeep Singh, was gunned down outside his villa on Rawai Beach on February 4. Her body was discovered the next morning.

Phuket’s episode of bad press began on August 3 last year with the murder of Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, 57, deputy chief of protocol for the Federal Assembly of Switzerland.

Teerawat Thothip, 27, was arrested four days later after police found Weisskopf’s half-naked body at Ton Ao Yon waterfall two days earlier.

Police say the suspect admitted to sexually assaulting the woman after spotting her alone at the waterfall. However, she fought back so he drowned her, then covered her with a plastic sheet before stealing 300 baht from her.

Weisskopf’s murder came just over a month after Phuket reopened under the sandbox tourism scheme on July 1.

The incident touched a sore nerve for state agencies and frontline tourism businesses that had glimpsed a modest but sustained recovery in tourism following the reopening.

Authorities’ concerns grew after criminal cases spiked even as police worked hard to solve them.

The cases have seriously shaken the confidence of tourists, so much so that high-ranking police have traveled to Phuket to look into the investigation themselves. The Sandhu case prompted National Police Chief Suwat Jangyodsuk to travel to the province to follow up on the investigation.

Police said they have identified the suspects and warrants have been issued for their arrest.

Phuket has led the way by being the first province to “experiment” with reopening tourism.

From July 1 last year to February 10, 299,305 tourists visited the province, including those who registered in the country through the Test & Go program which offers an easy alternative to quarantine for fully vaccinated visitors.

Tourist arrivals to Phuket are expected to increase in the coming months.

At the same time, Warner Brothers’ Deep Blue Production moved its filming location from The Meg 2: The Trench film from Krabi to Phuket. The film will be shot from April 1 to May 15.

Early last week, the filmmakers sat down with Mr. Pichet to discuss the production, which is set to shoot in Tambon Patong.

Mr. Pichet acknowledged that crime was one of the biggest problems in the tourism industry. Yet the sooner the suspects are caught, the sooner the damage to Phuket’s tourist reputation can be contained.

Problems persist

Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew said officials had addressed many issues. For example, the issue of taxis was being dealt with by officials of the Deputy Prime Minister and land transport offices with the help of private transport operators.

As for the robbery case involving the family of Greek tourists, some residents rallied to their aid and donated money to the victims, which shows the hosts’ compassion for their guests.

Overcharged taxi fares have long been a problem for tourism in Phuket. Despite all the efforts of the authorities to eradicate it, tourists continue to file complaints.

The question has sometimes reached its climax with fights between customers and taxi drivers, tuk tuk or motorcycle taxis.

Customers say the rates charged by drivers are arbitrary and unfair. The issue was raised by foreign diplomats who met with the governor of the province.

On January 28, a wealthy Thai tourist said he was charged 600 baht by a taxi for a 20-minute ride from Kamala Beach to Patong Beach.

The Land Transport Bureau then fined the taxi driver 2,000 baht. The driver also received demerits and was sent for retraining.

In July 2019, two Australian tourists filed a complaint against the driver of a public van who charged them 3,000 baht for a traffic-free 50km journey from the airport to their hotel.

Standardized tariffs

Jaturong Kaewkasi, head of the Phuket land transport office, told the Bangkok Post that tariffs were standardized across the province and that tariffs could be downloaded from the office’s website. Customers can always call the office hotline on 1584 24 hours a day.

“We listened to all parties before arriving at standard fares suitable for travel to Phuket. Fares may vary from other provinces,” he said.

The application known as Hello Phuket Service has been approved by the Department of Land Transport. Additionally, more metered taxis will come into service and offer fares that customers and drivers can agree on.

A source at a private transport company suggested that all modes of public transport in Phuket should be allowed to pick up customers at the airport to create competition. It would also deter unscrupulous practices in the transport sector.

Taxis should be prohibited from charging extra to pick up customers at the airport.

Mr Pichet said using an app to call taxis and display an estimated fare will make travel fairer and cheaper.

fake news

Kongsak Khoopongsakorn, chairman of the Thai Hotel Association, Southern Chapter, expressed concern about the overall image of the province. Stories about the taxi fare fiasco and local murders have been playing out on social media.

He said the high taxi fares were difficult to manage. Drivers picking up customers from the airport claim they have to charge double the normal fare because, coming from the city, they are only allowed to drop customers off at the airport but not pick up new ones from there.

He said some web pages have caused a stir on Phuket transport to stir up the hype. Some even make up incidents in an attempt to drive a wedge between Phuket taxi drivers and tourists.

Mr Kongsak said the killings that took place in Phuket stemmed from personal disputes. When they go out of their way to conjure up a false image of Phuket as a dangerous tourist destination, the province and its tourism industry suffer.

“I call on the government to take a strong stance. Illegal weapons must be eliminated and suspects must be brought to justice in a timely manner.

“Everyone has a role to play in being a good host,” he said.

Kongsak said tourist arrivals have stabilized in the province since February 1, with 2,000 to 3,000 tourists entering Phuket daily. Hotel occupancy rates are hovering between 30 and 40 percent, although that number will start to drop next week.

“But we still see a silver lining with Thai tourists,” he said, adding that domestic tourists are expected to take advantage of Phase 4 of the Rao Tiew Duay Kan (We Travel Together) co-pay program and head to Phuket.

Single master plan

Sonthaya Kongthip, chairman of the Baan Bangtao-Cherngtalay Tourism Community Enterprise, said Phuket needs to follow a common master plan at the local level so that every stakeholder is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of local tourism.

The master plan should emphasize equity in the conduct of tourism activities, should ensure that tourists are treated fairly and ensure that tourism revenues are distributed more equitably.

“We have to put ourselves in our visitors’ shoes. It’s part of the charm of Phuket,” he said.

Mr Sonthaya said a consultative approach might work better to solve difficult problems. For example, tourists should be asked what public transport fares they are willing to pay before fares are set, taking into account the mountainous geography of the province which is a factor in fuel consumption.

Regarding taxi fares, he suggested holding a forum where public transport drivers could fully express their views.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai MP for Bangkok, Anudit Nakhonthap, urged the government to quickly repair Phuket’s image and avoid further negative effects on tourism recovery.

One way to solve the problem was to recruit more tourism police, as there are only 1,800 in the whole country, he said.

Roberto Villanueva peeks into rear-view mirror of his taxi as it turns down a side street towards Macuiltépetl, an ecological reserve on a mountain in the center of Xalapa. He’s been driving a taxi here in the capital of the state of Veracruz, Mexico, for 35 years, and has most of the routes through the city etched in his memory. “Almost muscle memory,” he says.

That’s no small feat in Xalapa, a sprawling, hilly city of 750,000 people. The streets of Xalapa evolved centuries before automobiles and are full of sharp turns, unpredictable name changes and nine-way intersections. Taxi drivers are expert guides through this urban maze, providing a service that connects private and public transport. Passing a hospital, Villanueva says he regularly takes people there; in Xalapa, hailing a taxi is often much faster than calling an ambulance.

Taxi drivers are vital to the city’s residents, but the challenges of the job can be as daunting as navigating its convoluted streets. The economy, the ongoing pandemic and the whims of local politicians have presented a series of hurdles for taxi drivers to overcome, all behind the wheel of a Nissan Tsuru, Mexico’s de facto taxi and one of most dangerous cars ever made.

Villanueva’s Tsuru idles at the entrance to Macuiltépetl. His passenger passes coins through an opening in a sheet of plastic – a makeshift virus barrier – and he counts them before nodding quickly over his shoulder. Then he follows another Tsuru taxi around the corner and out of sight, already looking for the next fare.

Hundreds of other taxis congregate around a roundabout on the southwest side of Xalapa. The location, known as Los Sauces, is one of the region’s major transit hubs. The circle and adjacent streets are lined with bus stops, small shops and food stalls, allowing drivers to grab a quick bite of picaditas-Veracruz’s beloved and sassy tortillas-waiting for fares. They’ll take passengers wherever they need to go, whether it’s somewhere else in town, a remote mountain town, or an entirely different state.

The growing propensity to make longer journeys reflects the evolution of work. Xalapa’s veteran drivers remember when the profession could support a family and retire a driver; the limited number of taxi licenses available meant that a driver leaving the profession could earn a large sum by selling his concession to the next generation. But the good old days of driving a taxi are over. They ended with the 2004 election of Fidel Herrera Beltrán as center-right governor affiliated with the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) of Veracruz, says Lorena López, a sociologist working for the Mexican government who has studied extensively taxi driving in Veracruz.

The Beltrán administration essentially privatized the taxi licensing process by allowing various companies to sell simplified taxi licenses to the public at a lower cost than an official government concession, a move the administration says , would create more jobs and stimulate the economy. The result was an oversaturation of the market. According to a government report, the total number of taxis in the state of Veracruz has increased from 17,000 to 75,000 in 20 years. That number has only increased since the report was published, thanks to factors such as cheaper concession prices in response to competition from Uber and other app-based ride services, López says. Today, Xalapa and surrounding towns have as many taxis as New York, but less than a tenth of the population.

Much of the little money taxi drivers earn is eaten up by day-to-day expenses. Fares are set by the regional government but are not updated frequently; most fares are under 100 pesos, or about $5. Gas prices continue to climb above $4 a gallon, and most taxi drivers belong to unions, or the unions, which charge $10 to $15 a day for the use of a vehicle, in addition to dues. Given the large number of drivers criss-crossing the city, “sometimes it costs less to stay at home and not work,” explains a driver who goes by the name of Arturo.

For most drivers, not working is not an option and they will be on the road 16 hours a day, seven days a week. Eating on the run, not going to the bathroom and barely sleeping means many drivers develop high blood pressure and heart and kidney problems, López says. Other occupational risks include theft and hijacking, standard risks for taxi drivers around the world. In addition to all of these challenges, the Tsuru presents its own unique danger.

The Tsuru (“crane” in Japanese) is a small four-door sedan introduced in Mexico in 1984 and essentially unchanged since 1991. It was designed without crumple zone protection, airbags, anti-lock brakes or stability control – a deliberate choice in an apparent attempt to keep costs low, thereby allowing a greater percentage of the population to have access to cars.

“Is Tsuru cheap?” Yes. Reliable? Yes. Safe? Absolutely not,” says driver Oscar Ortega with a sinister laugh. He taps the dashboard of his Tsuru, in gratitude or prayer, as he speeds down a busy section of the highway that winds around Xalapa.

The model’s reliability and ease of repair helped the Tsuru overtake the Volkswagen Beetle as the Mexican taxicab of choice in the mid-1990s. Over 2.4 million Tsurus were sold during its lifetime.

In 2016, a crash test video showed a 2015 Tsuru colliding with a 2016 Nissan Versa. The Tsuru imploded so violently that the viewer feels sorry for the crash test dummy inside. The Latin New Car Assessment Program (LNCAP), the consumer advocacy group that conducted the crash, awarded the Tsuru a zero-star safety rating and provided data showing that more than 4,100 people have died in the Tsuru accidents in Mexico between 2012 and 2017.

The auto industry’s importance to Mexico’s economy has always made lawmakers ambivalent about demanding higher safety standards, but LNCAP’s Alejandro Furas, general secretary of its New Car Assessment Program, believes that the startling crash test footage helped move the conversation forward. On the same day that LNCAP announced it would be performing crash tests with the Tsuru, Nissan said the notorious model would be retired by May 2017. Furas says this is long overdue, especially given the number of taxis on the streets and highways of Mexico which are Tsurus.

“The drivers are under pressure because they have to bring food to their families,” Furas explains. “Driving a taxi is a job – having a safe [place to work] should be an important part of it.

Around the same time, the state of Veracruz decreed that no taxi could be older than 10 years. The Nissan Tsuru, last built in 2017, will technically be illegal to use as a taxi in 2027.

The Tsuru’s retirement signifies a new chapter in the long history of Xalapa taxi drivers. Hopefully the change will mean fewer drivers and passengers will be injured or killed. But upgrading to a safer vehicle will be a financial barrier for many, perhaps drawing people away from the profession, reducing the number of drivers and restoring the balance between supply and demand.

Xalapeño mechanic Mauro Hernández Rodríguez stands in Calle Lázaro Cárdenas, the street in front of his shop. He rates every car as he passes, including a few Nissan Marches and Chevy Sparks, which are already becoming the city’s next generation of taxis. Hernández Rodríguez pokes fun at how expensive but unimpressive these models are. “The Tsuru is a workhorse,” he says. “Other cars only work best when going downhill!”

Most of the vehicles passing by Hernández Rodríguez’s shop are Tsurus, including half a dozen taxis. Typical of Xalapa taxis, most of them have a personal touch to make the driver’s house on wheels feel more like, well, home.

Across town, drivers are adding festive lights, family photos or figurines of saints – a Tsuru has even been spotted with an imitation Batmobile steering wheel. Customization speaks to the drivers’ fondness for the Tsuru and for the job itself. Villanueva and other drivers talk about the feeling of freedom that their profession brings, especially on days when the sun is shining, the windows rolled down and the prices stable. Tsuru taxis, like their drivers, aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, except on their regular trips through town.

ComfortDelGro Announces Taxi Fare Increases August 2

Although public transport remains the most economical travel option for most, some of us may prefer to hail a taxi or private hire vehicle to save time.

Shooting down a ComfortDelGro taxi will be slightly more expensive next month.

On Tuesday (February 8), the company announced price increases for downtime rates, distance rates and wait times.

It is their first price adjustment in a decade, which is needed to help taxi drivers cope with rising operating costs and inflation.

ComfortDelGro’s taxi fare hike is the first in 10 years

In one press release Tuesday (February 8)CDG has announced a series of price increases that will take place from 6 a.m. on March 1:

• Flagdown fares: $0.20 increase for all taxis
• Fares based on distance: increase of $0.02 for normal taxis; $0.03 increase for limousines
• Waiting time (per 45 seconds): $0.02 surcharge for regular taxis; $0.03 increase for limousines

CDG estimates that the price increases will result in an increase of around 7.7% in fares for a regular 10 km taxi ride during off-peak hours.

According to CDG, this is the first price change in 10 years, since December 2011.

Taxi operating costs are rising due to inflation and fuel prices

Justifying the fare increase, CDG says taxi drivers have faced higher operating costs due to rising fuel prices and inflation.

Over the past 6 months, fuel prices have reportedly increased by around 10% on average.

In contrast, inflation has increased by nearly 12% over the past decade.

CDG taxi drivers have seen their income drop throughout the pandemic, despite the aid granted by the government and CDG.

Therefore, the price change is deemed necessary to help taxi drivers retain their rice bowls.

Support our taxi drivers

In a healthy economy, it is natural for prices to rise gradually over time.

However, events like the Covid-19 pandemic disproportionately affect taxi drivers. As a result, this makes tariff hikes essential for them to earn a decent living.

While the price change is likely to be unpopular, we hope members of the public can approach it with empathy and put themselves in the shoes of our taxi drivers.

Do you have news to share? Contact us by email at news@mustsharenews.com.

Image featured by MS News.

Express press service

KOCHI: Two years after its official opening, the Kochi Metropolitan Transport Authority (KMTA) is not yet fully operational. Under it, the Kochi Open Mobility Network (KOMN) was to be an apex agency to integrate parking, integrate travel and streamline bus routes in the city.

However, the persistent Covid situation has strongly affected the implementation of the agency’s action plan. “The launch of Yatri, a taxi application, will take place at the end of February. Likewise, the AuSa application, for a shared automatic system, is being tested and will be launched soon,” a KOMN official said. The agency is also studying bus routes to reduce the number of buses on subway-equivalent routes. This should help reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions.

“The pandemic has delayed the launch of the Yatri service and the trial of AuSa. However, attempts are underway to expedite the process and make the services available to the people,” a KMTA official said. The city’s urban mobility area includes Greater Cochin Region, Goshree Development Authority, Kochi Corporation, nine municipalities and 29 panchayats.

“All these areas have a population of at least 21 lakh people. The common rule for public transport is that one lakh people needs 1,000 buses. In this case, it is 2,100 buses. So the goal is to reduce the number of bus services on the road equivalent to the subway trip.When a bus carries 1,000 passengers on a trip, the subway can carry passengers equivalent to 65 buses.This will reduce road transport The same goes for boat services,” a source said.

The official said 40 investigators were tasked with collecting real-time data on bus routes and the total number of buses and bus stops in the city. “The data will help compile a city transit map linking subway, boat and bus services,” the official said.

He said it would take another five to six months to complete the investigation. KOMN is a platform where different transportation apps are made available in a single app for the public to choose a suitable mode of transportation in the city.

What it involves
Under the Kochi Metropolitan Transport Authority, the Kochi Open Mobility Network was to be an apex agency to integrate parking, integrate travel and streamline bus routes in the city.