By Jeanette
Tan | Yahoo!
Newsroom – Fri, Dec 23,
2011
Premier
Taxis has announced its new fare
structure, which will come into effect from 0001 hours on
30 December 2011.
Its flag down fare will now be between S$3.00 to S$3.90,
depending on the taxi model. This is a S$0.20 to S$0.70 increase
from the current rate.
Distance fares will also increase by $0.22, up from the usual
S$0.20.
They also reduced their peak period surcharge from 35 per
cent to 25 per cent of the metered fare. However, the peak period
time frame has been extended to 6am - 9:30am from Monday to Friday
(excluding public holidays), and 6pm - 12 midnight from Monday to
Sunday, including public holidays.
In a press statement released on Thursday, the taxi company
said that it had consulted its group of hirers, including members
of Premier Taxi Operators' Association, to review the emerging
changes in demand for taxi services. This had led to the changes in
their fare structure.
Premier Taxi added that due to inflation and higher operating
costs, their drivers' incomes have been affected. They believe that
with the new fare structure, drivers will experience more
productive hours on the road.
Lim Chong Boon, managing director of Premier Taxis said, "We
strive to keep taxi rides affordable for our commuters. On the
other hand, we also have to look after our drivers to ensure that
they are paid a fair wage for a fair day's work."
Earlier this week, the Public
Transport Council (PTC)
had received notifications from Premier
Taxis, individually-owned Yellow-Top taxis, Smart
Automobile and Trans-cab that they would be raising
their fares, a representative from
the council told Yahoo!
Singapore.
The latest notifications follow fare hikes
by ComfortDelgro
last week, and SMRT
Taxis this week. Premier
and Yellow-Top submitted
notices of their intentions to raise fares, while Trans-cab and
Smart gave the PTC notice of their fare hikes on
Monday.
Prime Taxi is now the only taxi company that has yet to
submit a notification of
raised fares. Its general manager
Eric Ang told Yahoo! Singapore that
the company is still collating feedback from its drivers about
whether or not to raise its fares,
and will come to a decision before the end of this
week.
By PTC guidelines, taxi
operators here are required to give the council a
minimum advance notice of two weeks before raising
their fares.
Prime drivers really cham wan to throw key also
headache...........
