If you're a regular customer of discount taxi services, be prepared to see an increase in your transportation cost very soon. Starting next month, all cash discounts offered by local cab operators will be cancelled, due to a recent regulation change by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

The discount strategy, while an effective incentive for attracting customers, has long been criticized by labor unions because taxi drivers are often forced to cover the discounts themselves. Many of them feel exploited as a result, especially when fuel prices keep rising.

However, operators worry that the ban on discounts would turn off potential cab riders and hurt the industry, so new marketing plans are already being formulated to lessen the impact.