Foreign-Registered Carpool Vehicles Need To Have Public Service Vehicle Licence
A cheaper way to get over to JB and that also contributes less to a nasty jam? Carpool services seem like a good fit. US-based app Sameride will be providing a Singapore-Malaysia cross-border carpooling service starting 30 Dec 2019.
About 300 people have pre-registered for the app in the past 2 weeks, according to a press release from the app’s website.
However, those planning to use the service should be careful when hitching a ride from a foreign-registered vehicle — that is, to first check if the driver has a valid public service vehicle licence.
According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), unlicensed vehicles may not be sufficiently insured and that should an accident happen, passengers may not get to claim insurance.
LTA will carry out enforcement against unlicensed vehicles
LTA also told The Straits Times that it will take a “serious view towards” foreign-registered vehicles operating in Singapore without the appropriate licence(s).
Drivers caught providing such cross-border carpooling services in Singapore without a valid public service vehicle licence can be jailed up to 6 months and/or fined up to $3,000. The vehicle may also be impounded.
So yes, the carpooling can potentially save you half of the price you’d usually pay for a taxi to take you from Singapore to JB or back (according to Sameride estimates). But because the service is regulated by a third-party and not the government, you should always take extra care to make sure that you’re in safe and law-abiding hands.
Featured image adapted from Bloomberg.
