The objective of this study is to determine whether most students in the Science Faculty at NUS think that the current taxi system can be refined.

With millions using the bus and rail on a daily basis, Singapore claims to have an efficient public transport system. However, there is one aspect of it that I feel is not up to standards. The current taxi system is expensive and not usually used by the price-conscious commuters of today. It is also not a mass form of transport and thus environmentally unfriendly. However, it is speedy and convenient for commuters who are in a rush, carrying bulky items or are traveling after midnight. It can also get commuters to places not easily accessible by rail or bus. The pros and cons of taking a taxi extend beyond the above mentioned. I see taxis as a necessary evil.

My main research question is "Do NUS Science Faculty students think the taxi system in Singapore can be refined to reduce the car population on the roads in order to save the environment?" This would mean less pollution and less natural resources being used up. My hypothesis is that this possible but it would require a huge revamp of the current system. I would like to save the environment, which is why I feel a survey is important to gather feedback from a larger audience.

A survey allows us to learn about what motivates the survey respondents and what is important to them. In highly competitive Singapore, staying in touch with the public is necessary to facilitate continued competitiveness. Rather than relying on my hypothesis, I can gather objective information to make sound data-driven decisions. Therefore, I can immediately address issues that are important, rather than wasting resources on things that no one cares about. With a large survey group, there would be uniformity of results, which would then support or contradict my hypothesis.
Edited 5pm 06/09/08

Labels: taxis