an email that was not received...

This email was meant for the Class95's Morning Express crew. After repeated failed attempts to send it out to them, I've decided to post it up on my blog instead. I think their email system has been down for a disappointingly long time, its sad to see such a phenomena in Singapore where even primary school kids have their own email address and have no problems communicating with it. It just further illustrates how complacent a radio station can get when there are no competitors keeping it in check.

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Subject: wake up your ideas
hey guys,

your show is getting really bad these days, even after 2decades of
waking up to the familiar class95 show which has grown into a familiar
habit, I hate to break break this habit, but I had to after these 2
lousy years of tuning to your show.

You guys lack the creativity that was the essence to the show.
Instead, you filled this gap with a serious dose of kiddy, petty
quarrels with the Car Tunes segment. Hey, how many people wake up and
enjoys listening to two grown men bitching about another two grown
adults? Do you really think that the listeners would "enjoy" it? Wake
up your ideas lah.

Today's show was the last straw. You guys actually say that the
increase in Taxi fare was justified if we compare the level of comfort
in a cab here in Singapore within 3hours flight time around us?? What
in the world is that kind of comparison? We pay road tax for the
government to pave the roads, ERP charges to use roads that are
normally "busy", peak hour charges applies in the morning, evenings,
weekend charges starts on Friday nights, public holiday rates starts
on the eve, even coming home from the airport cost an additional
charge. If it's so "far" for the cabs to travel to the airport to
pick up customers, why build it so "far" away? That is not being very
tourist friendly isn't it? (but think about it, how "far" away can
Changi airport be when Singapore is only 48km from end to end?) If
the waiting time is an issue at the airport, why not allow the cab
companies to set up some rely information about expected passager
volume at different times of the day along with real-time accounting
of the actual number of cabs already presenting waiting in line? I'm
sure some statistics can be calculated based on the annual 4-6million
passengers that exits Changi.

How much does a cab driver REALLY earn? He pays close to S$100/day
for the rental of the vehicle, he pays $0.60/litre of diesal, he can
chose to wash his own vehicle or pay S$3 for car wash, he pays
S$65/month for open-air car park near his HDB home. Imagine if he
wants to bring home a decent S$2,000/month of salary:

Bring home salary: S$2,000
Rental due to co.: S$3,000 (30days in the month)
Monthly parking: S$65
Diesal cost: S$675 (300km/day at 8km/litre of diesal at
S$0.60/litre of diesal)

Total monthly earnings required: S$5675
Average daily earnings required: S$191.33

These folks has to sit on their butts for 8hrs daily to make S$200/day
every day, be it weekday or weekends, public holiday or school
holiday, how much family time would they have? What is their quality
of life? If we really want to have better cab services, we should
start at reducing their daily cab rental. Imagine the turnover for
the cab companies for these vehicles:

Daily rental: S$90
Monthly income: S$2,700
Annual income : S$32,400

What's the cost of a cab? Average $40,000-50,000, in two years, the
cab company recoup all their cost for purchase of the cab, maintenance
etc. In the remaining 3years of the lifespan of the cab, its pure
earnings for the cab company. So who is getting the most out of this
deal? Now you understand why its so tough to get the license to
operate a cab company in Singapore?

So, please do not try to justify why we should have a fee hike in cab
fares, its just another way for the cab companies to increase their
share value.

regards,
Jennifer Kee
ex-Morning Express listener