Drivers worry passengers going maskless will be the norm

By about noon yesterday, Grab driver Sabrina Tay had picked up eight groups of passengers.

All were masked, except a group of boys. When they got into her car, it made her nervous.

"They told me that from today, they don't have to wear a mask in the car any more," Ms Tay, 43, said. "The law changed... but it doesn't change that I have elderly parents at home who are ill and cannot afford to get Covid-19."

Yesterday was the first day of a change in Singapore's mask rules - wearing masks indoors, as well as in taxis and private-hire cars, is now optional.

The rule change for taxis and private-hire vehicles has been divisive, going by online chatter, given the confined space and relatively prolonged exposure.

Where previously drivers could turn away those who were maskless, passengers now have the final say.

Drivers interviewed yesterday said about 80 per cent to 90 per cent of their passengers in the morning kept their masks on.

With time, they expect more passengers to remove them. There is worry that it will become increasingly uncomfortable for drivers to state their preference as going maskless becomes more normalised.

Cabby Chew Yeow Tay, 57, said: "The law no longer states they have to. So I can't tell them what to do."

Both Grab and Gojek sent out notifications informing users of the rule change, but did not directly address the issue as a potential source of conflict.

Gojek said it encourages passengers to still wear a mask, especially if they feel unwell, following the Land Transport Authority's official advisory last week.

Grab acknowledged the change, but added that "if you'd prefer to keep your (mask on), please do so". On its app, one of the reasons passengers can select for cancelling a trip is that the driver is not masked.

Drivers interviewed said there should be an implicit understanding that the party who is not wearing a mask should do so if the other party is wearing one.

This applies to both passenger and driver, said cabby Kasbari Marmijan, 73, who pulls up his mask if his passengers are wearing one. His chief concern is not Covid-19, but passenger complaints.

"Some people got Covid-19... and said they might have got infected in my car," he said. Now, he keeps a physical copy of his vaccination certificate in case passengers ask if he has been jabbed.

Mr Krsna Tan, 33, a realtor and musician, said he will mask up when he feels unwell. "I'm not worried about getting Covid-19 because I am young, but I'm worried about passing it to others."

Asked if he would put on a mask if the driver asked him to, he replied: "Of course, I don't want to offend people. I just don't like wearing a mask and am glad people finally have the option not to do so."