SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) caught 22 drivers for providing illegal ride-hailing services within Singapore and to or from Malaysia, and impounded their vehicles, it said on Saturday (Jul 12).
The drivers were booked at Changi Airport and Gardens by the Bay in an operation on Friday, following tip-offs from the National Private Hire Vehicles Association and members of the public, LTA said in a Facebook post.
It added that commuters should not use such services as they lack proper insurance, pose safety risks to passengers and affect the livelihoods of licensed drivers.
In response to queries from CNA, an LTA spokesperson said that only licensed providers from both Singapore and Malaysia can provide cross-border services, with each country given a quota of 200 taxis for such services.
There are close to 300 Singapore- and Malaysia-registered taxis currently licensed for such services, added the spokesperson.
Licensed taxis must use designated pick-up and drop-off points – the Ban San Street terminal in Singapore and Larkin Sentral in Johor – when outside their home country, but can take and alight passengers anywhere within their home country.
“This arrangement ensures that foreign taxis do not ply the roads illegally to provide point-to-point services outside their home country,” said the spokesperson.
LTA said it will continue to take “firm action” against illegal point-to-point services, including illegal cross-border transport services.
CROSS-BORDER TRANSPORT SERVICES
Under the Road Traffic Act, all vehicles, including foreign-registered ones, must have a valid Public Service Vehicle Licence (PSVL) to provide taxi or chauffeured private-hire car (PHC) services.
Offenders may be fined up to S$3,000 (US$2,340) or given a six-month jail term, or both. They may also have to forfeit their vehicles.
Since 2022, 94 drivers have been caught providing illegal cross-border passenger transport services using foreign-registered vehicles, and all had their vehicles impounded, said the LTA spokesperson.
“It is illegal for Malaysia-registered private cars or PHCs to provide cross-border or ride-hail services within Singapore,” added the spokesperson.
Besides a PSVL, Malaysia-registered taxis must also obtain an ASEAN Public Service Vehicle Permit to operate across borders.
In a Facebook post on LTA’s operation, Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling said: “Foreign-registered vehicles providing illegal private-hire car services harm the livelihoods of our local taxi and private-hire car drivers.”
She added that LTA will increase the coverage and frequency of its enforcement actions against such illegal services, and that it will not hesitate to push for heavier fines or to impound vehicles used for such services or seek their forfeiture.
Members of the public can report illegal services via LTA’s website or OneMotoring portal.
Source：CNA
