Private-hire car operators to be licensed from next June

Two types of operating licences will be issued - one for ride-hailing operators such as Grab and Gojek and the other for street-hail operators like taxi companies. ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID

Parliament gave the nod yesterday to a new law that will give the authorities powers to regulate private-hire vehicle operators. They will come under a licensing regime from next June.

Two types of operating licences will be issued - one for ride-hailing operators such as Grab and Gojek and the other for street-hail operators like taxi companies.

Operators with at least 800 vehicles must apply for a licence.

At the debate on the Point-to-Point Passenger Transport Industry Bill, MPs raised concerns about commuter safety and the minimum age of private-hire drivers, among other things.

Senior Minister of State for Transport Janil Puthucheary said Singapore has about 20,000 taxis and 45,000 private-hire cars.

More than two-thirds of all point-to-point commutes are made via ride-hailing apps, with the rest being street-hails.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 07, 2019, with the headline Private-hire car operators to be licensed from next June. Subscribe