Taxi! Upturn in fortunes for sector with Uber's exit

More cabs are being hired out and number of taxi driver's licences issued registers three-year high

Figures provided to The Sunday Times by the Land Transport Authority show only 9 per cent of Singapore's taxi population was unhired in April, down from 12.5 per cent in January. Last year, the average unhired rate was 10.6 per cent.
Figures provided to The Sunday Times by the Land Transport Authority show only 9 per cent of Singapore's taxi population was unhired in April, down from 12.5 per cent in January. Last year, the average unhired rate was 10.6 per cent. PHOTO: LIN ZHAOWEI FOR THE STRAITS TIMES
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

The taxi sector is continuing to experience an upturn following Uber's exit from the market, with more cabs being hired out and the number of taxi driver's vocational licences (TDVLs) issued hitting a three-year high.

The increasing popularity of private-hire car firms Grab and Uber over the past two years saw the taxi sector take a hit, with cab numbers dropping from almost 28,800 in 2015 to 21, 436 currently.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on June 17, 2018, with the headline Taxi! Upturn in fortunes for sector with Uber's exit. Subscribe