\n<\/p>\n
Although none of the five private ambulance operators that CNA spoke to had introduced a fuel surcharge, some said they may have to if diesel prices remain elevated.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Two of them have begun working out the extra fees they may require.<\/p>\n
First Ambulance said its overall operating costs have increased by 15 to 20 per cent since late February. It is considering adding a fuel surcharge of S$7 to S$15 per booking, depending on location and whether it is a one-way or round trip.<\/p>\n
The operator is still hoping for government support to cushion the blow. “We don’t want to add any more financial stress on the patients,” said the spokesperson.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Royal Ambulance may introduce a fuel surcharge of 5 per cent for one-way and 10 per cent for round trips, said assistant operations manager Shaduan Abd Samad.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The firm currently charges S$150 for a one-way trip and S$170 for a round trip for its medical transport service.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Its diesel expenses have gone up by around 30 to 40 per cent since February, while operating costs have increased by about S$2,000 to S$3,000, Mr Shaduan added.<\/p>\n
The operator offers medical transport for non-emergency cases such as medical, dialysis and psychiatric appointments, as well as hospital transfer, admission and discharge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It also provides medical escort services for patients who are not wheelchair-bound and event medics and ambulance standby services for events. These two services have been most affected and have since been scaled down due to manpower costs, said Mr Shaduan.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“For now, we are doing our best to maintain our current pricing, as many of our clients frequently request discounts and may not be ready for price increases despite the rise in diesel costs,” he said, adding that the elderly and low-income families may struggle with higher fees.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One other operator has found other ways to make ends meet \u2013 Ambulance Medical Services said it is managing cost pressures through internal efficiency measures.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are engaging our institutional partners to ensure transparency and explore fair approaches if the situation persists,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n
The operator said that response time and coverage areas remain unaffected, although long-distance and cross-border transports have become more costly to run.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n