S$27.73 Orchard Road to Buangkok taxi ride: Passenger shocked S$10.93 went to other fees

A passenger was shocked to discover that her taxi ride cost more than expected due to several extra charges totaling over S$10.93, including a S$2.50 administrative fee for paying by credit card.

The woman had taken a taxi ride from Orchard Road to Buangkok on the evening of Aug. 6, where the taxi metered fare was S$16.80 for a 30-minute ride.

She was shocked that the total fare was S$27.73, due to additional fees, such as ERP charge, city charges, and peak period surcharges.

What happened

Lin Huiqing (transliteration) told Shin Min Daily News that she took a taxi from the taxi stand at Lucky Plaza in Orchard Road at around 7pm on Aug. 6 to return to her home in the Buangkok area.

She explained she would usually take the MRT home, but chose to take a taxi that day as she was carrying heavy items.

Lin noted that she asked the taxi driver if there would be any additional fees if she paid with a credit card, and the driver replied, "around a few cents".

"I paid with a credit card for convenience. Had I known the administrative fee was so high, I would have paid in cash," she said.

The receipt she provided to Shin Min showed a metered fare of S$16.80, along with additional charges: S$1 for ERP, S$3 for a city area fee, and a 25 per cent peak-period surcharge of S$4.20.

This brought the subtotal to S$25.

A 10 per cent administrative fee for using a credit card added S$2.50, while GST came to S$0.23, resulting in a total fare of S$27.73.

Lin said she took a private-hire car on the same route before, and the fare was around S$10 cheaper than a taxi.

Screenshots she provided showed the fare for a private-hire car to be around S$17.50 for the same journey.

Lin said she would no longer take a taxi after the experience, and added that it was more convenient to take a private-hire vehicle instead.

She noted that taxi drivers typically do not disclose to passengers the potential extra charges before the trip begins, which may surprise those who do not take taxis regularly.

Taxi stands could be equipped with signboards with fare tables for passengers' reference, she suggested.

Private-hire cars VS taxis

Taxi drivers interviewed by Shin Min said they would inform the route in advance to include ERP fees, with one adding that both taxis and private-hire vehicles charge additional fees.

While taxis would list them on the receipt, private-hire platforms typically show only the final fare, with all additional fees already factored in, he explained.

The driver added that he informs passengers in advance if the route includes ERP charges, and offers them alternative routes when available.

He noted that with the advancement of technology and convenience, consumers tend to prefer private-hailing rides, even if they are sometimes more expensive than taxis.

Another driver, who switched from being a taxi driver to a private-hire car driver, said that while private-hire car fares are cheaper and have more customers, it does not mean that drivers can make more money.

"Passengers pay lower fares, so drivers earn less per trip," he remarked, noting that he currently drives 12 to 14 hours a day, where earning S$20 to S$30 per hour is regarded as reasonable.

Appears to be standardised across most taxi companies

A quick search online found that additional fees are standardised across all licensed taxi companies, including CDG Taxi, Transcab, and Prime Taxi.

During peak periods, a surcharge of 25 per cent is added to the metered fare.

This is doubled to 50 per cent for rides occurring from midnight to 5:59am.

Location surcharges for specific areas can be found on the LTA website.

Top image via Canva and Shin Min Daily News.