Surge pricing a fair way to manage demand and supply

Surge pricing is the fairest and most transparent way of managing supply and demand for taxis and private-hire vehicles (Don't go down slippery slope of taxi surge pricing; Jan 19).

A person forced to wait for 30 minutes or more for a taxi with a metered fare or to take a bus or train is offered another choice, though at a higher cost.

One can decide if the extra cost is worth the time and convenience saved.

Nevertheless, the real and lasting solution is a thoroughly efficient and reliable mass rapid transport system, supplemented by taxis and private-hire vehicles.

With sufficient supply, surge pricing will be less common and our transportation will be cheaper and better.

Andrew Koh

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 23, 2018, with the headline Surge pricing a fair way to manage demand and supply. Subscribe