ComfortDelGro to extend temporary fare hike to July 31

ComfortDelGro, Singapore's largest taxi operator, is extending a temporary one-cent increase in its distance and waiting-time fares until the end of July as fuel prices continue to remain high.

The company said this in a Facebook post yesterday.

The temporary fare hike, which was introduced on April 4, followed moves by other point-to-point transport operators to impose temporary fees to help drivers cope with rising costs.

The hike will now be extended until 11.59pm on July 31, said the firm. Flag-down fares, which were raised on March 1, remain unchanged.

When ComfortDelGro announced the temporary hike, it said the fare increase would be reviewed by the end of this month, and removed if fuel prices ease.

But pump prices are on the rise again, sparked by fresh fears of a ban on Russian oil.

Prices of 92-octane petrol reached new highs, ranging from $3.04 to $3.14, while diesel breached the $3 mark for the first time last week.

Mr Jackson Chia, chief executive of ComfortDelGro Taxi, previously said that its cabbies were paying close to 14 per cent more for fuel in late March compared with February, even though the company has been absorbing a large part of the cost increase.

ComfortDelGro taxi drivers pay $1.80 per litre for diesel and $2.20 per litre for petrol.

With the temporary hike, passengers taking regular ComfortDelGro cabs are charged 25 cents for every 400m travelled up to 10km, every 350m travelled after 10km, and every 45 seconds or less of waiting time.