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Reduce rentals to help cabbies vie with Uber, Grab

Lower rentals, cheaper rides and aggressive promotions have made Uber and Grab the preferred choice of many commuters, who get picked up at their doorstep and feel as if they are being chauffeured.

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Somasundaram Sandiran

Lower rentals, cheaper rides and aggressive promotions have made Uber and Grab the preferred choice of many commuters, who get picked up at their doorstep and feel as if they are being chauffeured.

The number of street-hire jobs in the morning peak period, in public housing precincts and elsewhere, have dropped for taxi drivers, resulting in longer waits at MRT taxi stands.

Older cabbies whose only livelihood are their taxis are disadvantaged, compared with their younger counterparts, who commonly use or two or three phones with dexterity to respond faster to bookings.

Taxi companies unable to compete with Uber and Grab have now teamed up with them and are encouraging their drivers to do likewise to enhance their earnings (“Grab, Trans-Cab team up to take bookings via app”; Sept 2).

A partnership means a financial deal, so why not reduce the rental instead, which is the number one issue? In this economic downturn, it would help drivers sustain their earnings and meet the costs of living here.

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