ComfortDelGro to remove 30-cent diesel surcharge from Nov 12
By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 29 October 2008 1429 hrs
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SINGAPORE: ComfortDelGro, Singapore's largest cab operator, will be removing the 30-cent diesel surcharge on taxi rides with effect from 6am, November 12.
The company said on Wednesday the move is in light of the recent decline in diesel prices and the weakening economic conditions.
The price of diesel price has dropped from S$1.83 per litre in July, when the surcharge was introduced, to the current S$1.38 per litre.
ComfortDelGro said it would continue subsidising the cost of diesel for its drivers. It spent S$16.2 million on diesel subsidies in the first half of this year.
Newcomer Trans-cab took the lead in announcing on Tuesday that it would remove the 30-cent surcharge on its taxi rides from November 11.
Other taxi companies such as Premier Taxi said the removal of the surcharge will affect the driver's income, and therefore the matter is still being reviewed.
ComfortDelGro said its taxi associations support the move, but taxi drivers whom Channel NewsAsia spoke to said the move would have an adverse impact on their income.
With the surcharge, taxi drivers who make at least 30 trips a day earn an additional S$9 or more.
Taxi ridership has fallen by 7 per cent to around 921,000 a day from 991,000 in 2006. With the economic downturn, observers expect ridership to drop even more.
The number of taxis plying the roads has, however, grown by 6 per cent in the last two years to about 24,400.
- CNA/yb/so
By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 29 October 2008 1429 hrs
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SINGAPORE: ComfortDelGro, Singapore's largest cab operator, will be removing the 30-cent diesel surcharge on taxi rides with effect from 6am, November 12.
The company said on Wednesday the move is in light of the recent decline in diesel prices and the weakening economic conditions.
The price of diesel price has dropped from S$1.83 per litre in July, when the surcharge was introduced, to the current S$1.38 per litre.
ComfortDelGro said it would continue subsidising the cost of diesel for its drivers. It spent S$16.2 million on diesel subsidies in the first half of this year.
Newcomer Trans-cab took the lead in announcing on Tuesday that it would remove the 30-cent surcharge on its taxi rides from November 11.
Other taxi companies such as Premier Taxi said the removal of the surcharge will affect the driver's income, and therefore the matter is still being reviewed.
ComfortDelGro said its taxi associations support the move, but taxi drivers whom Channel NewsAsia spoke to said the move would have an adverse impact on their income.
With the surcharge, taxi drivers who make at least 30 trips a day earn an additional S$9 or more.
Taxi ridership has fallen by 7 per cent to around 921,000 a day from 991,000 in 2006. With the economic downturn, observers expect ridership to drop even more.
The number of taxis plying the roads has, however, grown by 6 per cent in the last two years to about 24,400.
- CNA/yb/so
