SINGAPORE — Ride-hailing firm Gojek will charge a transaction fee for Singapore commuters who do not use cash to pay for their rides from Nov 1. 

Calling this “a structure that is not new in the Singapore market”, Gojek said on Thursday (Oct 19) the fee will range from S$0.10 and S$0.60, depending on the distance travelled.

It will be reflected in customer receipts as a new component called “Payment Transaction Fee”. 

Gojek currently charges commuters a driver fee and a platform fee on top of the overall trip fare. 

Competitors like Tada and ComfortDelGro also impose a transaction fee for cashless payments. Tada’s rate differs depending on the card used, while ComfortDelGro charges a 10 per cent administrative charge on top of the total metered fare. 

Gojek added it will reduce the commission collected from drivers from Nov 1. Fees will be reduced from 15 per cent to 10 per cent, “until at least the end of 2024”.

“Reducing the service fee will help to increase drivers’ take-home earnings while ensuring Gojek’s services remain reliable and accessible for consumers,” the company said.

It added that the move is in line with its “commitment to support drivers and ensure they can build a sustainable livelihood on the Gojek platform”.

“It will also support Gojek’s ongoing efforts to boost driver supply throughout the day, which will help improve the ride-hailing experience for customers as a whole.”

Gojek raised its service fees to 15 per cent in February amid Singapore’s pandemic recovery, after previously halving it from 20 per cent since June 2021 to increase driver earnings during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In comparison, competitor Grab takes about 20 per cent in commission from its drivers, while Ryde takes 10 per cent. Tada does not take commission on all rides. CNA

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