SINGAPORE - Taxi drivers from ComfortDelGro are no longer doing delivery jobs after the operator cancelled the service.

It had introduced it in April during the circuit breaker period, with drivers doing food deliveries initially.

The service was subsequently expanded to cover medicine in June.

ComfortDelGro group chief corporate communications officer Tammy Tan told The Straits Times on Friday (Dec 18) it stopped the service on Nov 30 as normal taxi jobs rose in demand after phase two of Singapore's reopening.

"The alternative delivery jobs, which included food and grocery deliveries, were necessary during the circuit breaker period to shore up driver income at a time when demand was down to almost zero," she added.

"In all, we worked with about 1,200 food partners and had over 2,100 taxis clocking close to 85,000 food delivery trips."

She said her company was thankful for the support from partners in helping cabbies "tide over those challenging times".

Previously, there were restrictions on using cabs and private-hire cars for deliveries, owing to concerns that it would affect the traditional passenger service, and contribute to traffic jams.

But the restrictions were lifted temporarily in March to address a shortage of delivery slots amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The Land Transport Authority subsequently announced in September that the temporary easing of restrictions will continue till the end of September next year.