SMRT to extend taxi rental waiver

Not everyone will be matching taxi giant ComfortDelGro's extension of a taxi rental waiver.

As of now, only SMRT will be extending the waiver to its cabbies for the second month, in line with the Government's move to continue with stay-home measures to beat the coronavirus outbreak till June 1.

For the first month of the circuit breaker, all taxi operators waived rental - around $100 per day per cab. But on April 22 - a day after the circuit breaker extension was announced - ComfortDelGro said its rental waiver would continue for another month. At the time, other players said they were likely to match ComfortDelGro's move.

But on Monday, Trans-Cab - the second-largest cab operator here - told its cabbies that it will charge $21.40 a day from May 6 to June 1.

This caused a furore among its drivers. Mr Low Choon Min, 62, said: "It's not fair. Why is it that ComfortDelGro can give free rental, but not Trans-Cab?"

Another Trans-Cab driver, Mr Tai Choon Wai, 52, said: "This definitely does not feel good. My family actually told me to stop driving because it's just too risky. But I said I have to keep driving to put food on the table."

Trans-Cab general manager Jasmine Tan said the company could not afford to continue with zero rental because "this crisis is not going to end by June".

"We cannot use up all our resources," she said. "If we do, we will not be able to help our drivers later.

"We will monitor the situation, and progressively roll out assistance as necessary."

Premier Taxis and Prime Taxi have not announced their course of action for the second month of the circuit breaker, although Prime chairman Neo Nam Heng said yesterday: "We are likely to follow Trans-Cab's rental."

Private-hire operators have also not reacted to the waiver extension.

In the first month, Gojek granted rental waivers of up to 60 per cent, and a 100 per cent commission waiver; while Grab implemented a 30 per cent rental waiver and a 50 per cent reduction in commission.

Mr Ang Hin Kee, adviser to the National Taxi Association and National Private Hire Vehicles Association, said: "We do hope all operators can offer rental waiver or other assistance to drivers for the extended circuit breaker period."