S'pore clamping down on Telehitch groups & illegal carpooling, drivers to face S$10,000 fines
The current fine is S$3,000.
Singapore plans to intensify penalties for those involved in illegal ride-hitching. Drivers who operate unlicensed vehicles for point-to-point transportation could face fines up to S$10,000, a significant increase from the current S$3,000 penalty. The legislation will also prohibit the publishing, forwarding, or sharing of advertisements for illegal services, including on platforms like Telegram, which is known locally for illegal "Telehitch" carpooling groups.
In addition, authorities will target commuters who use these services, although specific penalties for them have not yet been determined. Transport Minister for State Baey Yam Keng emphasized that these measures aim to protect licensed drivers' livelihoods and passenger safety. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will have the authority to order the removal of illegal service advertisements from online platforms, requiring platforms to disclose the identities of the advertisers.
If a platform fails to comply with these directives, it will be considered an offense. Currently, the LTA has impounded approximately 240 vehicles used for illegal P2P services since July 2025, with a release timeline that will be extended from three to four months to a mandatory three months for seized unlicensed vehicles, allowing the LTA to conduct a thorough investigation.
Written by urgent.news from Mothership's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
