Taxi business in doldrums

Taxi business in doldrums

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Demand for taxi service here has dropped since the government raised fuel prices, leaving many taxi firms in the city on the brink of bankruptcy.

An executive with a large taxi company here said each taxi driver had seven passengers a day on average, as compared to 21 in the same period of last year.

People are choosing transportation means other than taxis due to fare increases after the Oct. 1 fuel price rises, said Bachder Johan, an executive with a local taxi firm.

As business was slow, Bachder said his company had grounded some 40 percent of the company's 400 taxi cars. -- Antara