GrabTaxi, Hailo clinch permits to operate in Singapore

UberTAXI and others are still pending.

Two third-party booking mobile applications have secured the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) nod to operate in Singapore.

Under the newly enacted Third-Party Taxi Booking Service Providers Act, all third-party taxi booking services with more than 20 participating taxis are required to register with the LTA.

The regulator said in a statement on Tuesday that it is still processing applications other operators, namely UberTAXI, MoobiTaxi, Karhoo, and ConnexTaxi.

LTA has rejected one application by PAIR Taxi, as its fare model did not meet the fare charging conditions stipulated in the regulatory framework. Service providers which operate without certificates of registration are liable to a fine not exceeding $10,000, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both.

Apart from GrabTaxi and Hailo, radiophone taxi-booking operators Taman Jurong Radiophone Taxi Services and Boon Lay Garden Radio Taxi Services have also been issued certificates of registration.

The certificates of registration are valid for three years starting from 1 December 2015.