Written Reply by Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan to Parliamentary Question on Regulating Monopolistic Private-Hire Car Market

Miss Cheng Li Hui asked the Minister for Transport on the merger between Grab and Uber

a.     how does the Government intend to regulate a monopolistic market for private-hire cars;

b.     what will be the impact to consumers, drivers and Singapore's transportation landscape as a whole; and

c.     whether the Government will expedite the regulatory framework to control the growth of private-hire cars.

Reply by Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan:

1.     Over the last three years, private hire cars (PHCs) have emerged as an important point-to-point mode of transport for Singaporeans. To protect the interests of commuters and drivers, the Land Transport Authority is reviewing the regulatory framework for the point-to-point sector to ensure that the PHC industry remains open and contestable. This framework will be announced later this year.

2.     In the meantime, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) has issued the Proposed Infringement Decision (PID) to Grab and Uber, which includes proposed remedies to restore market contestability in the point-to-point transport sector. The CCCS is currently seeking public comments on whether any of the remedies proposed are sufficient to address the identified competition concerns.