LTA Responds to Outcry That PHV / Taxi Drivers Must Check For Belongings After Every Ride

Sometimes, social media can create positive changes.

Here’s one example.

Taxi Driver Given Stern Warning for Not Checking for Passenger’s Belongings

On Tuesday, the Facebook page “Beh Chia Lor – Singapore Road” posted a picture of what looks to be a warning letter issued to a taxi driver.

The letter was issued by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) with regards to the taxi driver’s appeal in relation to a prior written warning issued to him.

Apparently on 9 July, the taxi driver had failed to search his taxi for any property left by the passenger at the end of the trip.

According to the letter issued by LTA, the driver was found liable for an offence of “Failing to search vehicle for any property accidentally left by the hirer”.

This was a rule under the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Vocational Licenses and Conduct of Drivers, Conductors, Trishaw Riders and Passengers) Rules.

Under the rule, drivers of a vehicle are required to search the vehicle for any property left in the vehicle immediately before or on the termination of any journey.

Failure to do so constitutes an offence under the rules.

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The driver was previously issued a written warning by LTA on 28 September.

As LTA’s investigations revealed that the driver did not in fact check for the passenger’s belongings, hence his subsequent appeal to LTA for the warning to be rescinded was rejected.

This letter has been making the rounds on social media. Many netizens are outraged at how unfair this rule is to drivers as well as how unreasonable it is.

Even a blue cat is shocked. Here, take a look:

 

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And so, with the outcry, LTA has responded.

LTA: Okay We Review 

Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Director of NTUC U SME and U Women, and also an advisor to the  National Taxi Association (NTA) and National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA), and also Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Punggol Shore division of Pasir Ris–Punggol GRC, has since given an update about the situation.

Just to add on, the taxi driver mentioned earlier doesn’t live in Ms Yeo’s GRC as he had got his MP, Tin Pei Ling, to write an appeal letter instead.

Ms Yeo said that they’ve reached out to LTA, and LTA “clarified that this is a long-standing rule, and serves as a good practice on the part of the driver.

“The LTA has decided to withdraw the warning letter and shared that the intent was to remind the driver on such good practices and the LTA has never prosecuted any driver for such breaches.”

In addition, LTA agreed to review the continued relevance of this rule together with stakeholders.

Ms Yeo ended her post by saying that while it is “a good practice to have, it should not be an obligation that attracts penalties.”

Now, who says social media is a waste of time?

You can read Ms Yeo’s post here:

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