COVID-19 Driver Relief Fund extended; to cost government $16 million dollars

The LTA has announced that the COVID-19 Driver Relief Fund (CRDF) will be extended into December 2021.

The move follows the Government's extension of the Stabilisation Phase to 21 November 2021, which is expected to affect taxi and private hire car ridership.

Currently, the CDRF provides support for drivers with $10 per vehicle per day for 31 days from October 2021, and $5 per vehicle per day for the next 30 days. However, with this latest extension of the CRDF, the Government will increase the current tranche of CDRF for November 2021, and extend the CDRF when the current tranche ends after November 2021.

This means that eligible drivers will receive $10 per vehicle per day for 30 days in November 2021 (an additional $5 per vehicle per day), and $5 per vehicle per day for 31 days from December 2021.

The enhancement and extension of the CDRF will cost an additional $16 million and is expected to benefit about 50,000 drivers. This brings the total amount set aside by the Government for the taxi and PHC sectors to about $520 million since February 2020.

The LTA additionally states that the taxi operators have pledged to continue rental waivers for drivers on top of the Government's assistance.