GrabTaxi, Hailo get nod to operate in Singapore; UberTAXI, MoobiTaxi pending

GRABTAXI Pte Ltd and Hailo Singapore Pte Ltd are among third-party taxi booking service providers which have been given the nod to operate in Singapore.

On Tuesday, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a release that the two have been issued certificates of registration to operate their third-party taxi booking mobile applications in Singapore. The certificates are valid for three years starting from Dec 1, 2015.

LTA added that it is currently processing applications from UberTAXI, MoobiTaxi, Karhoo, and ConnexTaxi. The application from PAIR Taxi has been rejected because its fare model did not meet the fare charging conditions stipulated in the regulatory framework, LTA said.

Radiophone taxi-booking operators Taman Jurong Radiophone Taxi Services and Boon Lay Garden Radio Taxi Services have also been issued certificates of registration, also valid for three years starting from Dec 1, 2015.

Under Singapore's 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.

New service providers must apply to register with the LTA and receive their certificates of registration before they can operate in Singapore. Existing providers already operating before Sept 1, 2015, are allowed to continue operating but have to register by Dec 1.

Service providers which operate without certificates of registration are liable to a fine not exceeding S$10,000, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both.