Singapore taxi operator ComfortDelGro will waive commissions on eligible taxi trips for two days after a Sept. 15 service disruption left some drivers unable to receive app bookings or process electronic payments through their in-car mobile data terminals.
The commission waiver will run from noon on Sept. 25 until 11:59 a.m. on Sept. 27, according to ComfortDelGro and reporting by The Straits Times. The company described the measure as a gesture of goodwill following the disruption.
The incident affected mobile data terminals used by ComfortDelGro taxi drivers for functions including receiving bookings and handling information from the operator.
What Happened During the Sept. 15 Outage?
Drivers began reporting problems with their terminals during the afternoon of Sept. 15.
According to The Straits Times, the disruption was linked to an issue involving an external telecommunications service provider. The National Taxi Association said the problem mainly affected taxis whose terminals were connected to Singtel, rather than all ComfortDelGro taxis.
ComfortDelGro sent drivers an SMS at around 3:55 p.m., advising them to continue taking street-hail trips where possible. A later message told drivers still experiencing problems not to log in or use their terminals while restoration work was underway.
Service was restored at about 12:10 a.m. on Sept. 16, although recovery times varied among the external service providers involved.
Why the Outage Mattered to Drivers
The terminal disruption affected more than the ability to receive app bookings.
One affected driver told The Straits Times that he was unable to accept bookings through the terminal and also had difficulty serving street-hail passengers who wanted to pay using NETS or credit cards.
That meant some drivers had fewer ways to secure fares during the disruption.
The National Taxi Association subsequently engaged ComfortDelGro over financial relief for affected drivers. The association said it would continue discussing concerns raised by its members.
How Much Will Drivers Save?
ComfortDelGro currently charges a flat commission for bookings made through its Zig platform.
According to The Straits Times, the charge is:
- 70 cents per app booking for taxi drivers
- 80 cents for private-hire vehicle drivers who rent vehicles
- $1 for drivers using non-ComfortDelGro cars
Trips that are not booked through the app do not incur the commission.
The temporary waiver therefore applies specifically to eligible commission-bearing trips during the Sept. 25–27 window, rather than functioning as a general payment to every driver affected by the outage.
Some Drivers Wanted Rental Relief Instead
The waiver has not resolved all concerns among affected drivers.
One driver, Jacky Tung, estimated that he lost around S$80 to S$100 because of the disruption. He told The Straits Times that a commission waiver would not fully compensate for the income lost while the terminal was unavailable.
Tung argued that a rental-fee waiver would provide more meaningful relief because drivers continue to incur their daily rental costs even when a system disruption limits their ability to earn.
The National Taxi Association said it had asked ComfortDelGro to notify affected drivers about the waiver in advance so they could plan their shifts accordingly.
Network Disruption Also Hit Other Connections
The Sept. 15 incident occurred amid a wider fibre-service disruption in parts of Bishan and Thomson after construction work damaged NetLink Trust infrastructure.
About 2,000 connections were affected, involving subscribers of Singtel, StarHub and M1, according to The Straits Times.
The taxi-terminal problem was therefore connected to a broader telecommunications disruption, although ComfortDelGro did not provide the newspaper with further details about the specific cause or the number of drivers affected.
Singapore Already Has Rules for Transport-Service Disruptions
The episode also highlights the importance of contingency planning in Singapore’s point-to-point transport sector.
The Land Transport Authority has previously announced measures requiring taxi and ride-hail operators to strengthen procedures for systemic disruptions, including notifying authorities, commuters and drivers within an hour after confirming an incident that could impair services. Operators are also expected to maintain contingency plans and recovery procedures.
The Ministry of Transport said in August 2026 that Singapore’s point-to-point transport sector remains market-based and that the government does not currently plan to regulate ride-hailing platform commission rates or passenger fares.
A Temporary Fix After a Disruptive Day
ComfortDelGro’s two-day commission waiver gives affected drivers some financial relief, but the response also illustrates the wider impact that a technology or telecommunications failure can have on drivers whose income depends on digital booking and payment systems.
For commuters, the Sept. 15 disruption was temporary. For affected drivers, however, the financial consequences extended beyond the hours when the terminals were offline.
The next question will be whether the temporary commission waiver is enough to address drivers’ concerns — or whether further discussions between ComfortDelGro and the National Taxi Association will lead to additional measures.
WWC ONE MEDIA G,A
