Transport — Topics

29 Feb 2024

English Language Proficiency Requirement for Fresh Applications for Taxi Driver's Vocational Licence

Dr Amy Khor explained that taxi drivers must prove English proficiency to serve diverse passengers, requiring a GCE "O" or "N" level pass or a Level 3 pass in the Workplace Literacy test, a requirement dating back to 1979 and updated over time.
Mr Gerald Giam raised concerns that the test may be an insurmountable hurdle for older, experienced drivers without formal qualifications, suggesting they be exempted if they can converse with passengers effectively.
Dr Khor responded that drivers whose licenses are revoked must reapply as fresh applicants and meet all prevailing requirements, including English proficiency, but can appeal to LTA for case-by-case assessment if they lack documentary proof.

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28 Feb 2024

Travellers Crossing Land Border at Woodlands Checkpoint by Public Transport

Leong Mun Wai asked for the median and maximum number of travellers crossing the Woodlands Checkpoint by public transport daily and hourly, and how the hourly maximum compares to the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System’s capacity.
Chee Hong Tat responded that in December 2023, about 96,000 travellers crossed the border daily by public transport, with a peak of around 10,000 per hour.
The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link is projected to handle up to 10,000 passengers per hour per direction.

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28 Feb 2024

Implications of Dominant Player in Ride Hailing and Taxi Services on Consumers and Drivers and Measures to Prevent Monopoly

The Minister for Trade and Industry highlighted that a dominant player in the ride-hailing and taxi market is not inherently problematic if it does not abuse its position to harm consumers, drivers, or suppliers or create barriers for new competitors.
The Point-to-Point Transport Industry Act establishes a regulatory framework to maintain an open and contestable market, prohibiting operators from offering exclusive arrangements that lock in drivers and prevent them from driving for competitors.
The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore is empowered under the Competition Act to take enforcement action against anti-competitive mergers or the abuse of a dominant market position.

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28 Feb 2024

More Bus Services for Fernvale with Increased Number of HDB Flats and Pending Completion of LRT System Upgrade

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked if more bus services would be introduced for Fernvale due to new HDB flats and the pending LRT upgrade.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary noted existing bus services connect Fernvale to Sengkang and other areas, with a direct city service during peak hours.
The Land Transport Authority enhances bus connectivity with new housing, having already adjusted Service 102 for recent Fernvale projects.

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27 Feb 2024

Data on Traffic Accidents on Expressways and Impact on Motorists and Commuters

Over the past five years, the Pan Island Expressway averaged 558 accidents annually, the Bukit Timah Expressway had 165, and the Kranji Expressway had 78, all involving injuries or deaths.
Congestion from accidents on these expressways typically results in delays of 15 minutes or less, depending on factors like timing, severity, weather, and vehicles involved.
The Expressway Monitoring and Advisory System vehicle recovery service generally arrives at accident sites within 15 minutes.

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27 Feb 2024

Awareness of Vehicles Removing Illegal Modifications Before Inspections and Reinstallation Thereafter

Leong Mun Wai asked if the LTA knows that owners of illegally modified vehicles remove modifications before inspections and reinstall them afterward, and what steps the LTA has taken to address this.
Chee Hong Tat responded that LTA Enforcement Officers capture photographic evidence of illegal modifications and compare them with photographs from Authorised Inspection Centres.
The LTA's approach ensures that vehicle owners who remove modifications before inspection will still be caught through evidence comparison.

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27 Feb 2024

Road Rage Cases Reported

Yeo Wan Ling asked the Minister for Home Affairs for the number of reported road rage cases over the last three years and the percentage where drivers were victims or perpetrators.
K Shanmugam stated that 178 road rage reports were received by the Police between 2021 and 2023.
The Police do not track whether the perpetrators of road rage incidents are drivers or other road users.

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27 Feb 2024

Ensuring No Vulnerable Groups are Impacted by Decline in Readily Available Street-hail Taxis

The Ministry for Transport will ensure street-hail taxi services remain accessible for vulnerable groups, including seniors and special needs individuals, through ongoing reviews of the point-to-point transport regulatory framework.
The SG Digital Office under IMDA provides digital skills training, including how to use ride-hailing apps, to help less digitally savvy individuals through the Digital Skills for Life Framework.
IMDA collaborates with partners like Grab, Gojek, and ComfortDelGro to develop resources supporting digital literacy, ensuring vulnerable groups are not left behind in the transition to app-based transport.

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27 Feb 2024

Criteria in Evaluation of Requests for Road Safety Features around Schools and Residential Areas and Follow-up Reviews

The Land Transport Authority assesses requests for road safety features through technical evaluations of pedestrian volumes, vehicle speeds, visibility, and local demographics, prioritizing safety and implementing measures like traffic calming and crossings.
LTA monitors and re-evaluates requests when traffic conditions change or accidents occur, focusing on School Zones and Silver Zones to enhance safety around schools and residential areas with seniors.
The Ministry of Transport commits to more resources for road safety, including infrastructure improvements like signalized crossings and speed humps, and aims to expand initiatives such as the Friendly Street program by 2030.

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26 Feb 2024

Provision of Pedestrian Crossing or Overhead Bridge along Yuan Ching Road Where 12-year-old Girl Was Killed in Recent Accident

Hazel Poa asked if the Ministry for Transport would consider installing a pedestrian crossing or overhead bridge at Yuan Ching Road where a 12-year-old girl died in a recent accident.
Chee Hong Tat, representing the Ministry, stated that LTA will review if additional measures are needed after the Coroner's Inquiry and Traffic Police investigations conclude.
The response emphasizes that any decision on infrastructure upgrades will be contingent on the findings of ongoing official investigations.

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16 Feb 2024

Publicising of Rationalisation of Bus Services That Run Parallel to New MRT Lines

Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Transport whether the Land Transport Authority will immediately announce the rationalisation of parallel bus services, cost savings, and plans to use those savings for commuter benefits when new MRT lines open.
Chee Hong Tat responded that the LTA does not make immediate decisions on bus service changes after a new MRT line opens, as commuters need time to adjust, and will only assess changes if there is a significant drop in ridership.
He noted the government provides over $2 billion annually in public transport subsidies and that bus service changes are necessary to match evolving commuter needs while keeping the system sustainable.
Chee Hong Tat added that affected buses and bus captains will be redeployed to serve new estates and routes with greater demand from commuters.

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16 Feb 2024

Electric Vehicle Chargers for Active Mobility Devices in HDB Estates

Ms See Jinli Jean asked if the Ministry would install chargers for active mobility devices in HDB estates and, if so, when islandwide installation would be completed.
The Minister for Transport, Chee Hong Tat, replied that the Ministry currently has no plans to install public charging points for such devices in HDB estates.
He explained that devices complying with EN15194 or UL2272 standards can be safely charged using standard home wall sockets, eliminating the need for dedicated charging infrastructure.

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16 Feb 2024

Statistics for Road Accidents Involving Injuries or Deaths of Children Below Age 18

In the last four years, the number of road accidents involving injuries or deaths of children below 18 increased in 2023 but remained lower than pre-pandemic figures from 2017 to 2019, with detailed figures provided in tables.
The main causes of these accidents were motorist faults, including failure to keep a proper lookout, failure to control the vehicle properly, and failure to give way to traffic with the right of way.
After reviews, the Land Transport Authority enhanced seven fatal accident locations with road safety features like humps, warning signs, and road markings, while other locations were deemed adequately safe or the accidents were due to human behavior.

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16 Feb 2024

Quantitative Criteria and Considerations in Cost-Benefit Analysis for Rationalisation of Bus Routes

The Minister for Transport explained that LTA conducts case-by-case assessments, balancing commuter convenience with system sustainability and affordability, and does not automatically withdraw bus services parallel to new MRT lines.
Both speakers acknowledged the need to reallocate resources to new estates while retaining some parallel bus services, but differed on how strictly efficiency metrics like travel time should influence decisions.
The debate highlighted the importance of considering intangible factors, such as elderly commuters’ preference for less walking and sheltered routes, and the potential environmental cost if public transport becomes less convenient.

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7 Feb 2024

Workshops Investigated and Penalised for Illegal Vehicle Modifications

Leong Mun Wai asked for data on vehicles subjected to additional inspections due to modification complaints, illegal modifications found, and workshops investigated or penalised over three years.
Chee Hong Tat responded that the Land Transport Authority issued about 9,000, 7,000 and 5,000 notices of offences in 2021, 2022 and 2023 respectively.
The LTA conducted an average of about 1,600 additional inspections per year over the last three years and charged 16 workshops in total.

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7 Feb 2024

Update on Global Positioning System-based Approach Procedure at Seletar Airport

Gerald Giam requested an update on the implementation of a GPS-based approach procedure at Seletar Airport, including its timeline and any delays.
The Minister for Transport confirmed that discussions are ongoing between Singapore and Malaysia, focusing on safety and efficiency in line with ICAO standards.
The Minister did not provide a specific timeline or details on delays, and the debate concluded without further elaboration.

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7 Feb 2024

Introducing Separate COE Category for Point-to-Point Vehicle Services

Yip Hon Weng asked for an update on the review of point-to-point services, including the feasibility of a separate COE category for private-hire cars, the expected timeline, and the impact on occasional private-hire drivers.
Dr Amy Khor responded that the review targets completion by the second half of 2024 and is examining the broader industry structure, including a separate COE category, but noted trade-offs such as quota allocation and effects on COE prices and ride fares.
Yip further inquired about potential additional regulations, licensing costs for new entrants, and unintended consequences for the broader transportation ecosystem, including privately owned cars.
Dr Amy Khor emphasized that while a separate COE category is not ruled out, careful study is needed to avoid misallocating quotas, which could tighten supply in other categories or lead to insufficient private-hire car availability.
The review is comprehensive, covering availability, resilience, and inclusivity of point-to-point services, and involves engagement with tripartite partners, commuters, and drivers.

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7 Feb 2024

Compensation to Point-to-point Drivers for Downtime Taken to Install New On-Board Units in Their Vehicles

Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked whether the Ministry would compensate point-to-point drivers for downtime during the installation of new on-board units for ERP 2.0, and raised concerns about installation duration and minimizing wait times for over 50,000 vehicles.
Dr Amy Khor confirmed that taxi operators have agreed to compensate taxi drivers for downtime, and they are exploring ways to minimize downtime by aligning installations with regular maintenance or scheduling during workshop availability.
For private hire cars, LTA will engage stakeholders later to discuss minimizing downtime and addressing compensation, including potential rental adjustments during installation.

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6 Feb 2024

Assessing Effectiveness of Road Markings during Heavy Rain and Considerations for Weather-resistant Markings

Nadia Ahmad Samdin questioned how often the Ministry assesses road marking effectiveness during heavy rain and whether weather-resistant reflective markings would be introduced given climate change.
Chee Hong Tat stated that the Land Transport Authority inspects road markings weekly for expressways and every two months for other roads, using video analytics since July 2023 to detect issues in various weather conditions.
The LTA has been implementing more weather-resistant and visible reflective markings since 2017 under the Singapore Standard SS589, which has stricter requirements for visibility in wet weather and at night.

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6 Feb 2024

Redesignating Strata-titled Landed Homes as Restricted Access Homes for Registering and Licensing of EV Chargers

Sitoh Yih Pin asked if LTA would redesignate strata-titled landed homes as restricted access homes for private EV charger registration and licensing.
Chee Hong Tat explained that under the EV Charging Act, chargers must be LTA-approved, and non-restricted access locations like strata developments face stricter fire safety and inspection rules due to shared facilities.
Only EV charging operators serving the public need a licence; private chargers for household or fleet vehicles do not require a licence.

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