$200 cash for platform workers amid conflict

SINGAPORE – Active platform workers – including delivery riders, and drivers of private-hire vehicles and taxis – will get $200 in cash from the Government, starting from the end of April.

This is to cushion the immediate impact of fuel price hikes on the earnings of platform workers, said Acting Transport Minister and Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow on April 7.

He was responding to five questions from MPs on targeted help for platform workers, given the high energy prices arising from the Israel-Iran conflict.

For example, Dr Wan Rizal Wan Zakariah (Jalan Besar GRC) had asked about the estimated impact of higher petrol prices on monthly operating costs of platform workers, and if there will be contingency measures to assist them.

Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC) had also asked if the Government will provide road tax rebates for those riding motorcycles, and private-hire and taxi drivers. He also asked about petrol duty rebates for private-hire and taxi drivers.

Mr Siow had said that reducing fuel and diesel duties across the board would be “too blunt an approach” and could be regressive. He also said that as an open economy, Singapore should allow fuel prices to reflect market realities.

He added that fuel vouchers and fare adjustments have been introduced following discussions between the National Trades Union Congress and platform and taxi operators.

The $200 cash payout will provide further relief, he added.

Mr Ang Wei Neng (West Coast-Jurong West GRC) then asked if the Government will consider giving more to full-time private-hire and taxi drivers who are on the road for more than eight hours a day.

Mr Siow said $200 is the average of the increase in fuel costs – which ranges from $150 to $250 – that full-time private-hire and taxi drivers experience.

“I think that’s reasonable for now. We will continue to observe the situation to see if there’s a need for us to do more for this group, particularly the vulnerable ones,” he said.

Those eligible for the payout include platform workers with net earnings of more than $500 each month from delivery or ride-hailing work from December 2025 to February 2026, across all platform operators.

The Central Provident Fund Board will automatically disburse the payout to these workers, based on the net earnings declared by their platform operators when making CPF contributions.

This will be paid out via PayNow for those who linked their NRIC to the payment method by April 30.

Those who have not linked their NRIC to PayNow, but have a DBS, POSB, OCBC or UOB bank account registered with the govbenefits website, will receive the payout through GIRO by May 11.

A third group – those who do not have their NRIC linked to PayNow and lack a valid bank account – will receive their payment through GovCash by May 18.

All cabbies who hired taxis with taxi operators over the same three-month period also qualify for the cash relief.

LTA will automatically disburse the payout through taxi operators by mid-May to eligible cabbies who do not receive it from CPF Board.

Platform workers whom The Straits Times spoke to applauded the move, but made further suggestions for longer-term support.

Mr Quek Keng Huat, a taxi driver of 11 years, said the payout will help make up for the $25 drop in his daily earnings caused by declining customer demand.

The 49-year-old said he now completes an average of 16 to 17 trips daily, compared with at least 18 trips before the conflict.

His concern is that if the war persists, a more severe fall in customer demand might result. This could be “real cause for concern”, said Mr Quek, adding that he hopes the Government will roll out more support if that happens.

For delivery rider of eight years Leck Jun You, 41, the payout “definitely helps” with repair and maintenance costs for his motorcycle.

He typically spends at least $96 each month on these. After covering such costs, he said he can still use the leftover money to refuel his bike at least four times, with each round costing around $22.

But Mr Leck said it would be more helpful if the Government could disburse such payouts every few months in the long term if the war is protracted.

Mr Steve Lee, a private-hire driver of five years, felt that the payout is useful as an interim solution to tide drivers over rising fuel prices.

But the 52-year-old said more should be done by ride-hailing platform operators to help drivers save on fuel costs. He suggested that app algorithms could be optimised to reduce drivers’ idling time and a vehicle’s distance from passengers’ pickup points, so as to cut down on unnecessary fuel use.