Are you a taxi driver or a private-hire driver who needs to be quarantined due to the Wuhan virus? Is your livelihood greatly affected because of the quarantine? Well, here’s some slightly good news for you.
Tripartite Care Package
The tripartite care package was put together by the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA), the National Taxi Association (NTA), the Land Transport Authority (LTA), taxi operators and private-hire car operators to aid quarantined drivers in getting by due to their loss in income.
Other than the $100 per day allowance given to you by the Government, there will be an additional one-time allowance of at least $100 from your respective taxi and private-hire employers.
According to the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), if you happen to be a member of the NPHVA and the NTA, you will also be entitled to a one-time $200 assistance from the associations.
If you’re an eligible driver from Gojek, Grab, Ryde and their fleet partners, you will be entitled to a rental waiver during the period where you’re affected by the quarantine. An announcement made by taxi operators ComfortDelGro, SMRT, Premier Taxi, and Trans-Cab has also confirmed that cabbies who have been quarantined need not pay for rental fees either.
Grab Drivers Get Additional $500
Apart from receiving an allowance of $100 per day from the Government and the one-time allowances from the tripartite care package, quarantined Grab drivers also get to enjoy another one-time allowance of up to $500 to help them cope with their loss of income.
The country head of Grab Singapore, Mr Yee Wee Tang, shared that their drivers have been asked to wear masks if they experience any respiratory symptoms such as a cough or runny nose. They are also encouraged to seek medical attention as soon as possible if they know that they are feeling ill.
Other Measures
The general manager of Gojek Singapore, Mr Lien Choong Luen, also shared that the drivers who are covered under their driver benefits programme will be entitled to earnings protection of $1,000 if they are quarantined, or more if they get quarantined for more than two weeks.
Quarantined drivers who are not covered will have their cases reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Mr Lien also assured the public that they are doing what they can to ensure the safety of both their drivers and passengers. They have been distributing surgical masks, hand sanitisers, and antibacterial wipes so that they can maintain good hygiene while driving.
He added, “We are also strengthening our educational outreach to driver-partners on precautions such as keeping car windows open when ferrying riders with flu-like symptoms, and observing good hygiene practices such as sanitising high human contact points such as door handles and seats.”
NTUC secretary-general spoke to a few taxi and private hire leaders from NTA and NPHVA to know more about their situation. It was during the meeting that they revealed that their income has been affected by the fall in tourist traffic, and that they were concerned about their income and their health.
Hearing their concerns, Mr Ng reassured them and told them not to worry because NTUC will do whatever they can to provide workers with the support they need. He said, “We will overcome challenges when we work together.”
