Our taxi and private hire vehicle drivers provide an essential transport service to commuters in Singapore. Should they be unable to carry on working due to the Wuhan Coronavirus (Wuhan virus) control measures, their livelihoods will be impacted as they will suffer from a loss of income during that period.
In a collective effort to help quarantined point-to-point drivers, the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA), which takes care of private hire drivers, and the National Taxi Association (NTA), which represents taxi drivers, have worked together with the Land Transport Authority (LTA), taxi operators and private-hire car operators to put together a tripartite care package to support quarantined drivers.
In addition to the already-announced rental waiver by taxi operators for quarantined taxi drivers and the $100 per day allowance for quarantined self-employed person from the Government, the tripartite care package for drivers under quarantine comprises the following:
i. $200 one-off allowance from NTA and NPHVA for members
ii. Rental waiver for private hire vehicles by Gojek, Grab, Ryde and their fleet partners
iii. One-off allowance from taxi and private-hire car operators of at least $100
$200 one-off allowance for quarantined NPHVA and NTA members
Both NPHVA and NTA will provide a one-off $200 allowance to members who are quarantined by the Ministry of Health (MOH), to help them tide through the loss of income during the period that they are unable to work.
Advisor to NTA and NPHVA Ang Hin Kee commented, “Our two driver associations have come together to provide additional support to those who are in need. The leaders in the associations are all self-employed drivers themselves, so they fully understand the plight of fellow drivers in the event they need to cease work for two weeks. We hope the token allowance together with all the other measures can provide some financial relief to our affected drivers.”
Rental Fee Waiver for Private Hire Vehicles and One-off Allowance from Taxi Operators and Private-Hire Car Operators
Singapore’s taxi firms had earlier announced taxi rental fee waivers for taxi drivers who are placed under quarantine by MOH due to the Wuhan virus. The Government has also announced financial help for the self-employed and employers, who have employees issued with quarantine orders, by providing them $100 for each day that they are quarantined.
Gojek, Grab, Ryde and their fleet partners have also agreed to come on board to provide rental fee waiver to quarantined drivers. This would help provide affected drivers with some financial relief of not having to pay for the daily rental when they are unable to be on the roads.
Additionally, many taxi operators and private-hire car operators have also agreed to provide financial help to affected drivers who will suffer from loss of income while being quarantined. The following operators have all committed to providing a one-off allowance of at least $100 to quarantined drivers, above and beyond the other support that drivers are already receiving:
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Taxi Operators |
Private-hire car operators |
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Mr Ngien Hoon Ping, Chief Executive of the LTA said: “The NTA’s and NPHVA’s financial assistance for its members who may be quarantined due to the Wuhan virus, together with taxi companies and ride hail operators, is a result of our close tripartite collaboration in the point-to-point industry. This will undoubtedly help those quarantined as a result of their unceasing work in providing point-to-point transport even as Singapore works together to stop the transmission of the virus here.”
NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng concluded, “I had Kopi with some of our taxi and private hire leaders. They told me that their income has been impacted by the slowdown of tourist arrival. They are concerned for their income and also their health. However, in the same breath, they told me how our NTA and NPHVA are stepping up to help affected drivers. It is really heart-warming to know that the industry has rallied together to assure drivers that help is available if they need it. For both taxi and private hire drivers who are under quarantine, taxi and private hire operators will be providing rental waiver and a one-time allowance of at least $100. NTA and NPHVA members can receive an additional one-time $200 assistance from the associations. This is on top of the $100/day allowance given by the Govt. NTUC will do what is necessary to help workers. We will overcome challenges when we work together.”
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