Earnings up for some drivers after crackdown on illegal cross-border rides

Some private-hire drivers and taxi drivers licensed to ferry passengers across the border to Malaysia have seen their earnings go up after a crackdown on those doing the job illegally, labour chief Ng Chee Meng said.

- Vanessa Paige Chelvan Correspondent

Private-hire drivers are now earning up to 15 per cent more, while those offering cross-border ride-hailing services have seen their incomes go up by about 30 per cent, he added.

NTUC said in a statement that stricter enforcement has particularly benefited drivers of premium and larger vehicles operating around key tourist locations such as Gardens by the Bay as well as Changi Airport.

Speaking to the media following a dialogue with about 60 platform workers at Fernvale Community Club on Aug 26, Mr Ng said that based on workers' feedback, the Government's moves to address these and other issues that have hurt workers' livelihoods have worked. While the figures from platform workers are anecdotal, what is more important is that the trend is going in the right direction, Mr Ng said.

"It's a good outcome, but there are still many things to do to ensure a fair playing field for our (platform workers)," he added, giving the examples of more transparent fare structures — including platform fees, commissions and any additional fees — and fairer incentive schemes.

Workers at the dialogue shared that they lack clear breakdowns of how their earnings are determined, making it difficult to judge whether they are being paid fairly, or to make informed decisions about their work schedules, NTUC said.