Taxi driver's contract terminated after filming ‘drunk’ woman in fare dispute

SINGAPORE — A ComfortDelGro taxi driver who filmed a passenger appearing in an intoxicated state and demanded payment from her has had his hiring contract terminated, the transport operator said on Monday (July 15).

In response to TODAY’s queries, ComfortDelGro's group chief corporate communications officer Tammy Tan said that the company has investigated the matter and deemed that the way the taxi driver had handled the incident was “unacceptable”.

“We have terminated his hiring contract,” Ms Tan said.

“We are in contact with the passenger and have conveyed the outcome of our investigations to her.”

A video of the incident was uploaded over the weekend on several Facebook groups. It is unclear where or when the incident occurred.

In the video, the taxi driver can be heard telling the woman, who appeared to be drunk: “I will make you famous.”

He also repeatedly asked: “Do you want to pay the taxi fare?”

In response, the woman said several times: “I want to pay the fare.”

She also appeared to be unable to locate her bag.

"You're wasting my time. You're wasting everybody's time," said the taxi driver.

He then added: “Young, beautiful, but a brain full of water."

Although some online commenters agreed with the taxi driver, others slammed him for humiliating the woman.

“Uncle… (You) are a rotten apple among the good. She already mentioned she will pay the fare. Just help to call her family members to come over to settle the (amount) owed,” said Ms Carole Ong on Facebook.

Another online user commented: “The taxi uncle should at least give her a helping hand by calling her home or follow her to her house, instead of wasting time taking video of her.”

ComfortDelGro’s Ms Tan reminded the operator’s taxi drivers who encounter drunk passengers and fare evaders to “not take matters into their own hands”.

“Report them to the police and the company and we will assist them the best we can,” she said.