Businesses will require a licence to provide 'ride-hailing' services in Singapore under new legislation backed by the city state's parliament on Wednesday.
Under the Point-to-Point Passenger Transport Industry Bill it will be an offence for ride-hailing operators to provide their services without a licence unless they benefit from an exemption from the licensing requirement.
Fines of up to SIN$10,000 ($7,200) could be imposed on companies that operate on an unauthorised basis, while prison terms of up to six months could also be imposed on those that breach the legislation.
Singapore's senior transport minister Dr. Janil Puthucheary confirmed on Tuesday that operators with fewer than 800 vehicles in their fleet will have to apply for an exemption to the licensing obligations, according to a report by Straits Times.
The Land Transport Authority of Singapore will be responsible for monitoring compliance and enforcing the new regime and will have the power to attach conditions to the licenses it grants.
According to the Bill, the new legislation, which also sets out rules relating to 'street-hailing' services provided by incumbent taxi companies, is designed "to facilitate the delivery of safe, reliable, efficient and customer-focused point-to-point passenger transport services in Singapore; and to enable the development and operation of innovative and accessible point-to-point passenger transport services which contribute to the mobility and safety of people in Singapore".
The new licensing regime is set to take effect from June 2020, according to Straits Times.
