Applicants will have to attend a 10-hour course to qualify for the private-hire car driver's vocational licence. They must also hold a Class 3/3A driving licence, which has been valid for a continuous period of at least two years, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a release on Thursday, 9th March. All applicants will be required to undergo a medical examination, and will be subject to background checks. There will be a non-refundable $40 application fee. There is also a grace period for current drivers.
Private-hire car drivers whose applications reach the LTA by 30th June will have up to one year to attend and pass the course. "To ease the transition to the new vocational licensing regime, during this one-year transitional period, they can continue providing private-hire car services," LTA said. Those who miss the 30th June deadline have to obtain a vocational licence before they can provide private-hire car services. Singapore citizens can now apply for the licence as a self-employed driver.
Formerly, they had to be driving for a company providing chauffeured services or registered owners of a chauffeured services business. Singapore permanent residents and foreign work pass holders must be employees of a company providing chauffeured services in order to be eligible for the vocational licence. Drivers who already have a taxi driver's vocational licence can drive both taxis and private-hire cars. They do not need to apply for the new licence. Private-hire car drivers will also be required to display a tamper-evident decal on the front and back windscreens of their private-hire cars from 1st July.
