Tada passengers to pay $2.50 fee if they cancel on drivers who are en route or near pickup point
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Tada's new policies will come into effect at noon on March 18.
PHOTO: TADA
SINGAPORE - Passengers who cancel their rides on ride-hailing platform Tada after being matched with a driver will soon have to pay a charge.
In response to a query from The Straits Times, a Tada spokesperson said passengers will have to pay $2.50 if they cancel on a driver who has been en route for at least three minutes and is within 500m of the pickup point.
The driver will be compensated $3, of which 50 cents is absorbed by Tada.
The spokesperson added that passengers who cancel within four minutes of the driver’s arrival will also have to pay a $2.50 cancellation fee. Tada will top up 50 cents.
This fee will increase to $5 - fully paid by the passenger - if he cancels the ride after the driver has waited more than four minutes after arriving.
The National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) in a Facebook post on March 11 that the policy change came after “ongoing engagements and meetings” with Tada’s management, during which it surfaced drivers’ feedback.
“This is a positive step towards recognising the effort drivers make when travelling to pick up passengers and get cancelled upon,” added the body, which is an affiliate of the National Trades Union Congress.
Currently, the passenger has to pay $5 if he cancels the ride after the driver has been at the pickup point for four minutes.
Tada will also be increasing the cap on its cleaning fee compensation to $150. Currently, drivers can claim $70 from passengers who leave a stain or odour that requires professional cleaning to remove.
“This adjustment better reflects prevailing market rates and helps ensure that drivers receive more appropriate compensation for such incidents,” said NPHVA.
The new policies will come into effect at noon on March 18.
The Straits Times has contacted NPHVA for more details.
On ride-hailing platform Grab, drivers of standard rides get a $4 cancellation fee, paid by the passenger, if the passenger cancels after three minutes of getting a driver.
On Gojek, drivers receive $4 from the passenger if the passenger cancels after four minutes of getting a driver.
On Ryde, passengers who cancel after three minutes of getting a driver are charged $6.61. The driver will receive $4.50 in compensation.
On Zig by ComfortDelGro, drivers are not compensated for cancellations made prior to their arrival at the pickup point.
