Turnover in the Cabcharge payment system increased five per cent to $563 million in the half year to December 2008. Net profit across the group, which is less reliant on its core business, increased seven per cent to $32.2 million over the half year.The service fee margin on taxi payments increased slightly to 9.1 per cent from 9.0 per cent thanks to a reduction in price on the merchant fee by National Australia Bank.Most of the growth continues to emerge on bank-issued debit cards and credit cards with much lower growth on Cabcharge cards.The increasing prevalence of a second payment terminal in taxis may also progressively become an issue for Cabcharge, as drivers divert passengers to paying with a terminal where the driver, rather thanCabcharge, gets to retain the 10 per cent surcharge. The company is seeking to counter the relative decline in it own brand of payment card with the introduction of stored value cards and gift cards.The company continues to diversify its investment into other areas of transport, principally buses, as a co-investor in the Kefford bus group in Victoria.