SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Dec 18 caught 12 drivers at Changi Airport for providing illegal chauffeur services.
In a Facebook post on Thursday (Dec 19), LTA said the drivers were offering rides between Singapore and Malaysia, as well as within Singapore. They did not have a valid Public Service Vehicle Licence (PSVL) to offer cross-border trips.
Their foreign-registered vehicles were seized, LTA said.
LTA urged the public to avoid using these services.
“They are unsafe and may lack proper insurance, putting passengers at risk,” the agency said.
In August, LTA also conducted enforcement actions at Changi Airport and caught 14 errant drivers.
LTA had said that only Singapore- and Malaysia-registered taxis approved by LTA and Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Agency are allowed to provide cross-border rides.
Besides the PSVL, Malaysia-registered taxis must also have an Asean public service vehicle permit.
The licensed taxi drivers from Malaysia can pick up or drop off passengers only at the Ban San Street Terminal in Rochor when they are in Singapore.
They are not allowed to provide point-to-point rides in Singapore, as the authorities want to ensure “a fair livelihood” for local taxi and private hire car drivers, the Ministry of Transport and LTA have said in response to a forum letter by a Straits Times reader.
Those caught providing illegal hire-and-reward services can be fined up to $3,000, jailed up to six months, or both. The vehicles used may also be forfeited. - The Straits Times/ANN
