Liang Kaixin/Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia 1 Dec 08;
SINGAPORE: Even though petrol is more expensive than diesel and compressed natural gas (CNG), one taxi operator has decided to introduce petrol-powered cabs on the roads.
Prime Taxi launched 20 petrol-powered taxis, 10 of which are MPVs which can sit up to seven passengers per car.
These petrol-powered taxis are said to be more energy efficient.
For every litre of petrol, one such cab can run 12 kilometres, three kilometres more than a diesel-powered taxi.
The company, which has a fleet of 400 CNG taxis, said cabbies find it inconvenient to top up on gas even though CNG costs 20 per cent cheaper than petrol.
Other taxi operators said they have no plans to roll out petrol-powered cabs as fluctuating petrol prices could hurt cabbies' income. - CNA/vm
