SINGAPORE - From April 29, unfulfilled rides on ride-hailing firm Gojek’s GoCar private-hire car service will be made available to ComfortDelGro taxi drivers.

Providing details of their partnership on April 23, Gojek Singapore and ComfortDelGro Taxi said they will roll out the second phase of their tie-up, which will allow Gojek drivers to take on unfulfilled ComfortDelGro Taxi rides, “in the near future”.

ComfortDelGro is Singapore’s largest taxi operator, with 8,724 taxis as at February.

The partnership, announced in November 2022, will use a cross-dispatch model, where rides that are not taken up by one platform will be sent to the other. 

The ComfortDelGro website states there will be no difference in the way that its drivers would accept jobs.

Those using its “auto accept” function will be able to automatically accept jobs under this partnership, for example.

Gojek passengers matched with a ComfortDelGro taxi will see the taxi company’s icon appear as the driver’s picture, along with the vehicle type and plate number.

When contacted by The Straits Times, Gojek declined to answer questions relating to the number of private-hire cars on its platform, how commissions and fees would be split between the two companies, and the current fulfilment rate of GoCar rides by Gojek drivers. ComfortDelGro did not respond to queries.

According to the ComfortDelGro website, fares of more than $9 shown on mobile data terminals in taxis and its Zig driver app include a 7 per cent driver commission, but do not cover platform and payment transaction fees.

The aim of the partnership is to tackle a shortage of drivers.

The two companies said the tie-up means drivers can earn more, owing to more rides being available, without having to download any additional app. 

It will also shorten waits for passengers, who will pay the same fare for their ride, they added.

All extra fees applicable to a GoCar ride will continue to apply to rides fulfilled by ComfortDelGro taxis.

Right now, for instance, Gojek applies a platform fee of between 60 cents and $1 for every trip.

Gojek and ComfortDelGro said that because taxis operate on a two-shift system, a more consistent supply of rides will be available throughout the day. 

The two firms said they are committed to exploring other areas of partnerships as well. These include electric vehicles and other revenue opportunities, as well as areas such as insurance, driver training and vehicle maintenance.

Mr Lien Choong Luen, general manager of Gojek Singapore, said: “With this partnership, drivers will be able to see higher demand and improved earnings, while commuters can look forward to greater availability of rides with shorter waiting times.” 

Mr Jackson Chia, chief executive of ComfortDelGro Private Mobility Group, which runs its taxi business, said the combination of fleets in a cross-dispatch model allows for greater availability and shorter waits during non-peak hours. 

Gojek’s tie-up with ComfortDelGro comes amid a decline in Singapore’s taxi fleet, from 20,256 taxis in February 2019, to 13,436 taxis in February 2024. 

In March, the authorities announced moves to arrest this drop, including changes to regulatory requirements, such as extending the statutory lifespan of non-electric cabs from eight to 10 years.

Mr Ray Qiu, 52, a ComfortDelGro taxi driver of 12 years, said the partnership would not benefit him because of the consistently low fares for both Gojek and taxi rides that would discourage him from accepting bookings.

Gojek driver Desmond Ng, 42, said pickups for Gojek rides are usually far away – more than 3km, at times – and the fares charged do not match the distance travelled.

Mr Ng added that he is concerned the partnership may increase competition with ComfortDelGro’s taxi drivers.

Psychology undergraduate Shariffah Aisyah Aljunied, who takes Gojek rides to her university once a week, said that during peak hours, it can take up to 15 minutes for her Gojek ride to arrive. During non-peak hours, the wait can last up to 10 minutes.

The 19-year-old added: “⁠ComfortDelGro will benefit from this as it is not as popular as Gojek, and commuters will also benefit from this as it ensures they get a ride quicker.”

Pre-school teacher Rubeina Arafa Ali, 20, who uses Gojek about five times a week, said: “It’s great that two ride platforms are collaborating, and I hope that through this, their services for rides will be more efficient and fast, so people can get to work more easily.”