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With diesel costing nearly as much as petrol, one taxi operator has reckoned it may now be commercially viable to run a fleet of petrol cabs.
Prime Taxis, the newest kid on the block with a fleet of more than 200 compressed natural gas (CNG cabs), will put 20 Honda Freed eight-seaters on the road in about a onth's time.
Prime managing director Neo Nam Heng believes the 1.5-litre Freed is more fuel-efficient than the 2-and 3-litre diesel cabs that form the bulk of taxi fleets in Singapore.
He estimates the Freed, unveiled last month in Japan, will go 100km on $14 worth of fuel; the bigger diesel cabs need $16 worth of fuel to go that distance.
The Freed is also cheaper to buy, so Mr Neo will be renting each out to cabbies for between $69 and $75 a day. Most cabbies now pay between $85 and $100 daily.
"The demand for multi-seater cabs is high," Mr Neo noted.
And cabbies here are allowd to charge a dollar extra for every passenger beyond four. Prime will also save on the $5,100 annual "special tax" that each diesel cab attracts.
Unlike in CNG cabs, seating and luggage space in the Freed will not be compromised by a gas tank.
"Like in some countries, diesel here will, in the future, be costlier than petrol," Mr Neo said.
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Bankrupt ?
Prime is quite a big company ....
Rental and sales of used cars ...new cars ..... import and export cars ....
No likely to go bust this prime .
Don't forget they took $5000 deposit from those OMO , and repay those bank loans , and save on bank interest
Bank interest can be easily a few million a year .
Not forgetting those daily rentals they got from those hirer .
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biang eh, $69-$75 per day rental, even if use petrol still lower than sonata if omo. say $75+$60 (92 octane) = $135, sonata at least $150 using CDG's diesel. top up anywhere, less downtime. MPV somemore, shiok. must give some serious thought....
btw, just a gentle reminder, we really should start the taxi meter even if ferrying own family members or friends...insurance coverage matter in case of accident, i think. pax not covered if "busy".
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