1.    LTA, together with all the taxi companies, will launch a common taxi booking number, 6-DIAL CAB (6342 5222) on 21 July 2008. The aim of this common number is to make it easier and more convenient for taxi commuters, especially tourists, to call for a taxi in Singapore, as they need only remember one number.

2.    The common taxi booking number complements the taxi companies' call booking systems. The respective taxi companies' call-booking hotlines will continue to be in use. Commuters who have preference for taxis from any of the taxi companies can continue to book a taxi from the company directly, by calling their respective hotlines.

3.    The common taxi booking number is one of the initiatives in the Land Transport Master Plan announced early this year. It provides commuters with an additional avenue to book a cab. With the common number, commuters will be able to book a taxi from any of the taxi companies by calling 6-DIAL CAB. A commuter who makes a call to 6-DIAL CAB, will have access to up to three taxi companies' call centres. The call will first be routed to one selected¹ taxi company's call centre. If the call centre's lines are busy, the call will automatically be re-routed to another taxi company's call centre. The call will be terminated only after three attempts to route the call is unsuccessful. Please refer to Annex A for more details.

4.    Ms Tammy Tan, ComfortDelGro Corporation Group Corporate Communications Officer said, "Many Singaporeans are already familiar with ComfortDelGro's taxi booking number, 6552-1111. There is however one group of commuters who may be confused with the different taxi booking numbers and they are the tourists. For them, the common booking number will be of help."

5.    Mr Lo Chee Wen, Vice President, SMRT Taxis said, "The new common call booking number for taxis is an added way in which we can serve commuters, on top of SMRT's call booking number 6555 8888. We welcome it and are happy that commuters now have another convenient manner to reach us when they are in need of a taxi."

6.    Added Mr Lim Chong Boo, Managing Director of Premier Taxis Pte Ltd, "This should help visitors to Singapore who may be unfamiliar with how to get a taxi. We trust the LTA will work closely with the Tourism Board to promote this common number to the visitors."

7.    "With the supplementary common taxi number, it will be easier for the public, especially tourists to make a taxi booking without memorising all the taxi booking numbers," said Mr Tan Soon Chye, General Manager, Prime Car Rental & Taxi Services Pte Ltd.

8.    Transcab's General Manager, Jasmine Tan stated, "One Common Taxi Number is another choice for the passenger when call for booking."

9.    Welcoming the additional option, Chief Executive of SMART Automobile Pte Ltd, Mr Johnny Harjantho added, "We are ready to give our support for the one number system as SMART drivers stand to benefit from the potential increase in the number of phone bookings to our company."

10.    Mr Seng Han Thong, Adviser to the six Taxi Operators' Associations said, "The Land Transport Authority has consulted the Taxi Operators' Associations on the feasibility of a common taxi booking number and the TOAs view the common number as an additional avenue for taxi drivers to receive more call bookings. Firstly, the Singapore Tourism Board will be promoting it among tourists visiting Singapore. At the same time, Singaporeans will also benefit from it as they only need to remember one telephone number to call and as the chances of them getting a taxi in a shorter time will be higher as the system will forward their booking requests to the next available taxi company. These would translate to more call bookings and thus, higher earnings for our taxi drivers."

11.    Mr Yam Ah Mee, Chief Executive, Land Transport Authority, expressed, "We are glad that the taxi companies are supportive of this initiative to enhance convenience for taxi commuters and will continue to explore other avenues to do so."

¹The system automatically allocates calls to the taxi companies based on a pre-determined algorithm. The algorithm assigns calls based on a weightage defined by the respective companies' market share of all call bookings, including those received by them directly, in the preceding 3 months.

Annex A