The National Taxi Association (NTA) agrees with Mr Rajasegaran Ramasamy that the boon of various new and emerging apps is better matching of supply and demand in the point-to-point transfer services market ("Private car hire services meet commuters' needs"; Forum Online, Dec 7).

In our engagement sessions with taxi drivers, many have shared that they understand these changes and the need for competition.

The NTA's proposal to the Ministry of Transport balances the need for the market and industry stakeholders to evolve and adapt to these changes in the industry and, at the same time, safeguard the interests of our end users.

We called upon the Government and taxi operators to take bold steps in leveraging these new technologies and practices to improve the riding experience of their passengers and matching efficiency of taxi drivers.

It is important that our transport policies and regulations, as well as taxi business model, keep pace with technological advancements and consumer preferences.

This way, we hope it will help improve transport availability and contribute to greater efficiency in the use of our transport assets.

Gerald Chan

President

National Taxi Association