Drivers are seeing their income inch back up to the pre-hike rate of $100 to $120 a day. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM

THE lone Singapore taxi company to decide against raising its fares last month could soon reverse that decision.

Drivers from Prime Taxis, the island's smallest cab firm, will vote next Tuesday on whether to raise flag down fares and after-hours rates, said managing director Neo Nam Heng.

The company's 100 cabbies saw their take-home pay drop 50 per cent after five of Singapore's six companies raised fares in December, a move that drove many commuters away from taxis.

'For the first two weeks, there was a fall in their income because people saw the other companies increase price and stopped taking cabs,' said Mr Neo.

The situation, though, has improved recently.

Drivers are seeing their income inch back up to the pre-hike rate of $100 to $120 a day, said Mr Neo.

It has been a roller coaster ride for Singapore's taxi companies, some of whom, like Prime Taxis, are starting to see business rebound.

Drivers from the island's biggest firm, Comfort DelGo, have seen their take-home pay creep upwards over the last few weeks.

The average ComfortDelGro cabbie earned $159 per shift, up from $153 before the fare increase, according to a company survey of 5,000 drivers.

Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.