Cabbies, private-hire drivers worried about virus transmission risk

Taxi driver Thomas Lim was taken aback when he learnt yesterday that mask-wearing will no longer be compulsory for taxi and private-hire car rides from next Monday.

He had heard the Government would remove indoor masking requirements in most settings, but thought transport settings such as taxis would be the last place where mask rules would change.

"I don't support it at all," he said, noting that passengers will be in a small, enclosed area for an extended period of time. "It is very bad for drivers."

The 51-year-old is among taxi and private-hire drivers who are unhappy with the impending change in mask rules. They said making masks optional in such a confined space increases the risk of Covid-19 transmission, noting that they can ferry more than 20 passengers a day.

Mr Lim said his immunity has been compromised after he contracted Covid-19 last month. He is very concerned about reinfection. "I will let passengers know I prefer that they wear a mask," he said. "If they are coughing or sneezing, I'll wind down the windows to increase ventilation, but there's not much else I can do."

Other drivers said the new rule could also become a potential cause of conflict if some drivers insist their passengers wear a mask.

In an advisory on its Facebook page, the Land Transport Authority encouraged drivers and passengers to continue wearing masks to protect one another.

Ride-hailing operators Gojek and Grab echoed this call, saying drivers and passengers should mask up if they feel unwell. Grab also advised its drivers to wind down windows to improve ventilation if passengers are agreeable.

But drivers interviewed felt many passengers will not heed this call.

Strides driver Sherwin Tan, 40, said some passengers have already stopped wearing their masks in recent months.

In the early days of the pandemic, he said, he would have insisted they wear a mask. "We close one eye now. Many people have already got their booster shots and most have already got Covid-19. Not wearing masks lets passengers feel more relaxed."

Mr Tan added that he will spray disinfectant on the car seats after dropping off each passenger, and keep his mask on.

Cabby Ethan Ong, 38, said the Government should have left it up to drivers to decide if their passengers should wear a mask. "It creates conflict, doesn't it?... What happens if they tell the passengers to wear a mask and they refuse?"

With the change in the law, drivers cannot refuse to accept passengers who say no to wearing masks, The Straits Times understands.

Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Yeo Wan Ling, adviser to the National Taxi Association and the National Private Hire Vehicles Association, asked the public to be considerate and requested that taxi companies and private-hire platforms keep supporting drivers who fall ill.

"Unlike employees, our drivers lose income for every day they do not drive, should they be infected with Covid-19, and they would still need to pay for daily rentals and other incidentals, even if they are not on the road," Ms Yeo said.

Lawyer Yap Shikai, 27, said he does not intend to wear a mask while taking point-to-point trips unless he feels unwell, but will put it on if the driver asks him to.