Singapore taxi companies extend temporary fare hike until Dec 31

TAXI companies in Singapore have extended until Dec 31 a temporary 1 Singapore cent increase in distance and waiting-time fares for standard taxi rides that is meant to help cabbies cope with the high cost of fuel.

SMRT-owned Strides Taxi announced the extension in a Facebook post on Thursday (Jul 21), while Premier Taxis made the announcement in a notice on its website last week.

The remaining 3 taxi operators — ComfortDelGro, Transcab and Prime Taxi — also said on Thursday they will extend the temporary fuel-related fare hike until the end of the year.

The fare increase, introduced in April on the back of soaring pump prices, was originally meant to end in May, or if fuel prices had eased.

But it was extended until the end of this month as pump prices remained high, and will now be extended again as prices for 92-octane petrol hover around the S$3 mark.

With the temporary hike, passengers taking regular taxis are now being charged 25 Singapore cents for every 400 m travelled up to 10 km, every 350 m travelled after 10 km, and every 45 seconds or less of waiting time. This is up from 24 Singapore cents previously.

ComfortDelGro, Singapore’s largest taxi operator with a fleet of about 9,000 cabs, had previously said the temporary hike amounts to a fare increase of about 32 Singapore cents for a standard 10 km taxi ride.

For limousine and premium cabs, passengers now pay between 34 and 36 Singapore cents for every 400 m travelled up to 10 km, every 350 m travelled after 10 km, and every 45 seconds or less of waiting time, depending on the taxi operator.

The temporary hike also impacts non-metered taxi fares, the latter of which applies to rides booked via ComfortDelGro’s ComfortRide ride-hailing service.

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According to the Consumers Association of Singapore’s pump price tracker, Fuel Kaki, a litre of 92-octane petrol currently costs S$2.94 to S$2.96, while diesel costs S$2.93 to S$2.98 per litre before discounts.

This is down from earlier highs of S$3.34 to S$3.37 per litre of 92-octane petrol and S$3.16 to S$3.19 per litre of diesel, but still higher than pump prices at the start of the year.

The authorities had earlier said that pump prices are likely to remain elevated after rising 30-40 per cent in the past 6 months.

Support measures have been doled out as part of a S$1.5 billion support package to help Singaporeans cope with inflation, including a one-off S$150 relief from the government for taxi hirers that will be paid out in August.

The Land Transport Authority will work with transport operators here to disburse the relief to those eligible. THE STRAITS TIMES