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All privately-owned CNG vehicles to be inspected by June 9: LTA

SINGAPORE — The authorities on Wednesday (May 24) widened safety checks for vehicles fitted with compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinders to private cars, after nearly 9 per cent of such taxis failed inspections over the past two days.

A Trans-Cab taxi drives out of STA Vehicle Inspection on May 24, 2017. Photo: Jason Quah/TODAY

A Trans-Cab taxi drives out of STA Vehicle Inspection on May 24, 2017. Photo: Jason Quah/TODAY

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SINGAPORE — The authorities on Wednesday (May 24) widened safety checks for vehicles fitted with compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinders to private cars, after nearly 9 per cent of such taxis failed inspections over the past two days.

All private CNG cars must be checked at any of the nine authorised vehicle inspection centres by June 9, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Wednesday, adding that it would pay for the tests.

If these cars fail the tests, drivers can continue using their vehicles, but must run on petrol. However, they still need to send it for rectification and return for checks at Vicom, STA, or JIC.

As of April, there are 1,650 private CNG vehicles here.

The surprise move came after 74 out of 832 CNG taxis failed the mandatory inspections ordered by the LTA in the wake of two CNG taxis — both Toyota Wish models — erupting in flames within the last month.

Preliminary investigations suggest these drivers had lit up cigarettes on board, not knowing their CNG cylinders were leaking.

The compulsory checks started on Tuesday and all 950 CNG taxis — Trans-Cab owns 920 of these, with the rest owned by SMRT, Prime and also individual taxi drivers under the yellow-top scheme — are expected to be inspected by Thursday.

Trans-Cab General Manager Jasmine Tan said they send their taxis for servicing every month, including checking for CNG tank leakages.

Drivers whose taxis are grounded can rent the company’s diesel-powered Renault Latitude or Chevrolet, albeit at a higher rate of S$92, versus S$68.

In a statement on Wednesday, the LTA said mandatory inspections are also being carried out for 13 buses — comprising 12 public buses and one private bus — and seven goods vehicles.

Taxis that fail these inspections, which are primarily to detect leakages with the CNG cylinders, are grounded for further investigation and rectification.

If they pass, they will still have to return for checks every three months, instead of the current six-month cycle, the LTA said. The same applies to public buses running on CNG.

The LTA said it will work with taxi operators to enhance the inspection regime for their fleets.

In the first case of a CNG taxi catching fire on April 30, four men, including a firefighter, suffered minor burns and were taken to hospital. The second happened on Monday along Marymount Road, with the cabby also sent to hospital with burn injuries.

Engineering and automobile experts said loose fittings connecting the CNG tank to the engine was normally the cause of leakages.

Fittings can come loose because of vibrations when the car moves, said Associate Professor Li Chuanzhao, who is the deputy programme director in chemical engineering at the Singapore Institute of Technology.

Leakage from the tank itself, he added, is “abnormal” unless the tank reaches the end of its lifespan.

Assoc Prof Li said natural gas becomes flammable when its concentration in the air reaches 5 to 15 per cent. As CNG cylinders are typically installed in the trunk, possible leakage into the vehicle interior makes the situation “more dangerous”, he added.

The LTA reminded CNG vehicle drivers not to smoke in their cars, adding that they should be alert to any sulphur-type odour — similar to the smell of rotten eggs — indicative of a leak.

But Trans-Cab driver Selamat Amin, whose Toyota Wish was towed away after it failed leakage checks at the STA Vehicle Inspection Centre at Sin Ming Road on Wednesday, said he had not smelt anything unusual.

While he will have to find alternatives to pick up his grandchild from school without his car, the 73-year-old was glad to have his vehicle inspected.

“It is good for safety. Because we taxi drivers, we just drive and we don’t know if the CNG tank is leaking or not,” he said, in Malay.

Mr Alvin Tok, 43, a managing director of automobile firm UK Cool, which carries out maintenance for CNG vehicles, among others, said owners should regularly check the pressure meter. If pressure decreases even when the car is not in use, something could be wrong.

Mova Automative’s operations manager Richard Loy recommended that CNG taxis should go for inspections every month, given the high usage.

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