Vehicle Inspection Regime for CNG Taxis and Private Cars

Mr Ang Hin Kee asked the Minister for Transport (a) why the six-monthly and yearly vehicle inspections for CNG taxis and private car vehicle respectively have been unable to identify gas leakage problems; (b) whether there will be a review of the existing regime to ensure vehicle inspections are able to keep pace with the different vehicle types and models; and (c) whether the costs of current vehicle inspections can be reviewed downwards in view of its limited coverage.

The current vehicle inspection regime subjects compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles to compulsory checks of their CNG systems. However, following the recent fire incidents involving CNG vehicles, as a precaution, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) required all registered CNG vehicles to be sent for immediate inspection outside of the usual inspection cycle. To enhance the thoroughness of the inspections, LTA deployed its own engineers to assist the inspection centres. The urgency of the inspections also gave vehicle owners no time to send their vehicles for pre-inspection maintenance. All this could have contributed to the higher than normal inspection failure rate.

As an additional precaution, LTA has increased the inspection frequency from once every six months to once every three months for public service vehicles which use CNG, such as taxis and buses. LTA is also working with taxi operators which have CNG taxis to enhance their own inspection and maintenance regime. LTA will also work with the inspection centres to tighten their inspection process and will double the frequency of its audits on the centres.

Fees for vehicle inspections have been deregulated since 1997.