Private-hire driver fined S$650 for touting, asking for S$65 fare at HarbourFront taxi stand

On March 31st, 2024, Steven Gan Teck Guan, a private-hire taxi driver in Singapore, was fined S$650 for loitering and trying to solicit passengers at HarbourFront Centre's taxi stand. He was charged with the offense after providing a fare of S$65 in exchange for a ride. The incident came to light when Ranjit Singh Manjit Singh, a passenger waiting in line at the taxi stand, submitted feedback regarding the touting incident to the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

Surveillance footage from 5:30pm to 6:15pm showed Gan at the location for over half an hour, walking around and loitering among people waiting for taxis. The judge found that Gan was not there to fulfill any bookings, as no ride-hailing firms confirmed any bookings between 5pm and 6:30pm on that day.

Gan claimed he was waiting for a personal job and had agreed to reject an offer of S$50 from Singh, stating that he had an appointment with another passenger. However, Singh disputed this claim, saying Gan had approached him first. Gan's defense was that he had no evidence to prove he had customers that day, but he claimed he was familiar with many passengers from Indonesia since he previously drove a minibus. He also mentioned meeting his customer in a toilet, but could not recall the date or precise time of arrival.

The judge rejected Gan's claims of fabrication by the LTA and Singh, finding Singh's evidence to be credible. Gan was fined S$650 by the judge, despite an offer from the LTA of S$500 as a composition or out-of-court fine. The prosecution had sought a fine of S$700, but would have settled for S$600 if Gan had pleaded guilty. The judge's decision was influenced by Gan's conduct and the perceived potential for the situation to worsen.

Gan remains out on bail pending an appeal, and the payment of the fine has been stayed. If he fails to pay, he will serve two days in jail in default.