SINGAPORE - Taxi operator SMRT said on Saturday (April 4) that it will be giving its drivers a full rental waiver for four weeks from April 7 to May 5, to help its drivers cope with the impact of stricter social distancing measures to contain the outbreak of Covid-19.

It is the second taxi company to offer hirers a rental waiver, after ComfortDelGro - the largest taxi operator here - said it will be waiving rental for all its drivers for one month.

Mr Tony Heng, senior vice-president of SMRT Road Holdings, described the current situation as unprecedented and challenging.

"It is the time for us to show our maximum support to our taxi partners. With their rentals fully waived for one month, they can earn their living instead of worrying about overheads," he said.

SMRT said it will also be partnering with Fei Siong Group, KFC, Pizza Hut, GrabFood and GrabExpress to provide taxi drivers with delivery jobs as well.

"We are thankful to our business partners... for coming on board to work with us to provide jobs for our partners during this period. We stand together with our taxi partners and we will support them as best as we can," Mr Heng added.

The aim is for more than 500 taxi drivers to be recruited for food and parcel delivery collaborations, SMRT said.

The full rental waiver will cost SMRT $7.3 million, the company said, and this supersedes the earlier announcement on the extension of daily rental rebates for the four weeks.

That relief package, which will run till Sept 30, will kick in after May 5.

Together with the earlier rental rebates announced, the total relief package is expected to cost SMRT up to $17.9 million.

The move by the two taxi companies to waive rentals for hirers follows the announcement by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday that all non-essential physical workplaces are to close for four weeks from next Tuesday to stem the spread of Covid-19.

All schools and institutes of higher learning will close and move to full home-based learning from next Wednesday.

SMRT taxi driver Vincent Lee, 42, said the ongoing pandemic has drastically affected his earnings.

"I used to do more than 20 trips a day, but ever since the outbreak, I've only had less than 10 a day," he said.

"When I heard about the new trial to do food deliveries, I immediately signed up for as many slots as they would allow me.

"The additional income definitely means a lot to taxi drivers like me."

Correction note: This story has been updated with figures from SMRT.