A SURVEY of 3,700 taxi drivers from the six taxi companies here found that cabbies are earning more after the taxi fare increase last year, said Transport Minister Raymond Lim yesterday.

The gross earnings of drivers who worked one shift a day during January went up by an average of 4.8 per cent to $216, compared to their earnings last November.

Those working two shifts a day earned about 1 per cent more than in November, bringing their gross daily earnings to $308.

Drivers' operating costs had also gone down as they did not have to cruise as much to find passengers and, therefore, used less fuel.

MORE TRAFFIC UPDATES

THE Land Transport Authority (LTA) is working with a local radio broadcaster to air more traffic updates by the third quarter of this year.

The updates will be more frequent and regular than what is currently being aired.

LTA is also looking into setting up a dedicated radio channel for traffic news.

Transport Minister Raymond Lim said this in Parliament yesterday in response to MP Lim Biow Chuan's question whether such a station would be set up.

He added that the ministry was looking at the best way to get it done.

The LTA first announced the idea during the Land Transport Review in January.

It is likely that the running of the station would be outsourced to a local radio broadcaster.

EXTRA TIME AT CROSSING POINTS

THE Land Transport Authority may implement a system to lengthen the time given to elderly pedestrians crossing the road, said Minister of State (Transport and Finance) Lim Hwee Hua.

Participants gave positive feedback on a trial in Toa Payoh last year which saw elderly pedestrians holding on to a radio frequency identification (RFID) device.

The device activates readers that are mounted on traffic lights, which then add on an extra five seconds to the 'green man time'.