LTA mulling new regulations for third-party taxi booking apps

These apps won’t solve peak-hour cab blues.

Third-party taxi booking applications have become widely popular in Singapore. The Land Transportation Authority is studying some basic regulations to oversee these apps, Senior Minister of State for Transportation Josephine Teo said in an oral response to a parliamentary question yesterday.

According to Teo, third-party taxi booking applications are currently allowed to operate in Singapore without regulation and some rules may be required to protect the safety and interests of commuters.

She also added that the convenience these apps provide will not solve the country’s peak hour taxi demand problems.

“They do not increase the supply of taxis per se, and hence will not help the situation if availability of supply is the constraint during peak hours and inclement weather. The taxi availability framework we introduced last year will still be necessary,” she noted.