Finally, flagging a ComfortDelGro taxis now would cost u $0.30 more at $2.80. Metered Fare has also been adjusted at $0.20 per 385 metres of travel for the first 10 kilometres. This will go up to $0.20 per 330 meteres for journeys beyond 10 kilometres

For every 45 seconds of waiting time, it will cost $0.20. Instead of $2 surcharge for peak hour travel, there will now be a premium levied at 35 per cent of the metered fare.

CBD surcharge will go up from existing $1 to $3. For travel from midnight till just before 6am, there will be a flat 50 per cent of the metered fare.

Booking fee during peak hours will be reduced by $0.50 to $3.50. Non-peak hours booking fee remains at $2.50

For Singapore’s second-largest taxi operator SMRT, it will be raising its fares from next Friday, 21 December 2007. These were made in line to the adjustments made by market leader ComfortDelGro.

Flag-down rates for standard SMRT cabs will cost 30 cents more, and more Limousine cabs will go up by 40 cents to $3.20.

Peak hour booking fees will drop from $4 to $3.50.

The reason for the fare hike is the higher operating costs of taxis, especially price of diesel and the increase in the Goods and Services Tax.

I was driving along Orchard road yesterday and could see that it was difficult to find any taxi during the peak hours. A lot of commuters were seen queuing up at taxi stands with no taxis around. It was only after 9pm plus that the taxis were seen slowly making its way to the taxi stands