19 April 2003
The Forum Editor Straits Times
We refer to the letter by Mr Lim Poh Ling "Full taxi rental rebate please" (ST, 19 Apr) and report by Salma Khalik "Cabby among new Sars case" (ST, 18 Apr).
Our companies had announced on 31 March that the taxi rental will be waived fully if one of our drivers is stricken by Sars or served with a quarantine order. All taxi drivers will get a one-off hardship grant of $200. The taxi operators' associations will provide another $200 for their members.
The 25% waiver of rental reported in the Straits Times and mentioned by the writer is meant to help hirers who are not feeling well with Sars-related symptoms and are given a medical certificate for home rest a doctor. By helping to relieve their financial burdens, we want to encourage them to rest and not ply the roads. Most would also have relief drivers to take care of half of their rental.
Our companies are fully committed to helping all our drivers, whether they are plying the roads, stricken or hospitalised by Sars, quarantined at home or ill. Further to the above measures, we have taken these steps:
To raise public confidence in the industry, free temperature check stations have been set up island-wide and we are disinfecting our taxis daily.
The Sars outbreak has hit Singapore hard. We can tackle the impact only if we work together as an industry - taxi companies, taxi operators associations and government authorities. This is what we are fully and firmly committed to do.
Ms Jacqueline Tham
Public Relations Manager
Comfort Transportation Pte Ltd
Ms Priscilla Chan
Head, Corporate Affairs
CityCab Pte Ltd
Ms Chin Yen Yen
Head, Corporate Communications
TIBS Taxis Pte Ltd
