ComfortDelGro’s out to boost its taxi business amid rise of private-hire cars

QR-code bookings, new cab models part of plan even as taxi population plummets

- Kok Yufeng

ComfortDelGro's head of point-to-point mobility business in Singapore, Mr Michael Huang, with the company's redesigned logo on the side of a taxi at Comfort Transportation at Sin Ming Drive on Sep 22. Mr Huang believes taxis are viable in Singapore as they serve the needs of the commuters.

(ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO)

To help less tech-savvy passengers get a ride more easily, ComfortDel-Gro plans to roll out a new service at the end of 2025 that will allow bookings by scanning a QR code.

The aim is to free customers such as elderly folk from having to navigate an app or digital interface. Instead, each code will contain a preset pickup location, which is automatically filled in when scanned.

This move is part of a wider effort by ComfortDelGro to rejuvenate its taxi business amid a persistent industry-wide decline with the rise of private-hire cars.

Other plans in the pipeline include the introduction of six-seater cabs to the company’s taxi fleet to cater for larger families, as well asa greater focus on meeting the demand for premium and corporate bookings.

Mr Michael Huang, who heads ComfortDelGro’s point-to-point mobility business in Singapore, told The Straits Times in late September that the company is developing other enhancements to its Zig app.

For instance, passengers will soon be able to book licensed cross-border taxi rides from anywhere in Singapore to Johor Bahru. Such bookings can also be made through the company’s hotline.

Another change is the introduction of new cancellation and waiting fees, which has helped to match passengers with drivers more quickly, Mr Huang said.

Other adjustments to the app’s algorithm have resulted in a 30 per cent to 40 per cent reduction in time needed to match a passenger with an available driver.