Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

Private-hire drivers form association to protect their interests

SINGAPORE – With the taxi and private-hire car industry going through upheavals, the drivers hired by the upstarts are banding together to make sure their voices are heard by the regulators and the companies themselves.

Shawn Ng, 34, Pro-term Committee Secretary of the NPHVA and a limousine driver, at the launch of National Private Hire Vehicles Association at the NTUC Centre on Wednesday, May 11, 2016. Photo: Damien Teo

Shawn Ng, 34, Pro-term Committee Secretary of the NPHVA and a limousine driver, at the launch of National Private Hire Vehicles Association at the NTUC Centre on Wednesday, May 11, 2016. Photo: Damien Teo

Follow TODAY on WhatsApp

SINGAPORE – With the taxi and private-hire car industry going through upheavals, the drivers hired by the upstarts are banding together to make sure their voices are heard by the regulators and the companies themselves.

Not to be outdone by the National Taxi Association (NTA) which has regularly weighed in on the industry changes, the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) has been formed, with a 15-member pro-tem committee - comprising drivers from Grab, Uber, Combi Bus and private limousine services - seeking to recruit members from a pool of private-hire car drivers that has been rapidly increasing since Grab and Uber entered the Singapore market about two years ago.

The NPHVA has been registered by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Freelancers and Self-Employed Unit. Unlike unions, associations do not have an employer-employee relationship. NTUC estimates that there are 6,000 to 8,000 full-time private-hire drivers currently.

In November last year, a group of private hire drivers approached the labour movement to form an association for them.

Pro-tem committee secretary Shawn Ng, who is a private limousine driver, told TODAY the group has met the Land Transport Authority to give feedback on the licensing regime announced last month for the private-hire car industry. The regime will be implemented by the first half of next year.

Among other things, the pro-tem committee raised concerns on the duration of the 10-hour Private Hire Car Driver’s Vocational Licence course. Mr Ng said: “We hope we can forward our concerns to them and they can do a better course module for all the drivers because time equals money to every driver.”

He added: “This is why we set up the association because we want to be like the NTA, we want to be able to let the Government hear us.” 

Mr S Thiagarajan, who is the director (strategy) of NTUC Freelancers and Self-Employed Unit, said NTUC had helped arrange a meeting among the private-hire car drivers and the Ministry of Transport before the licensing regime was announced. “We are happy to see their views were taken into consideration in the final announcement,” he added.

Mr Thiagarajan said the trade union recognises the need to ensure that private drivers are duly cared for and treated fairly. “Thus when the group of private-hire drivers approached us, we felt that it would be an excellent opportunity to reach out to this group,” he said.

Mr Lim Kell Jay, Head of Grab Singapore, said the formation of NPHVA is “another progressive step (Singapore) is taking to support the long-term sustainability” of the private-hire car industry and ensures that drivers interests are represented. Mr Lim added that the company had recommended one of the members on the pro-tem committee.

The labour movement said that key concerns faced by private-hire car drivers include safeguarding their livelihoods and welfare, workplace protection and professionalism.

Private-hire drivers TODAY spoke to said they hoped that NPHVA could help them raise concerns over their earnings which have suffered following the companies’ move to cut fares. Last month, Uber and Grab slashed their fares for private-hire car service. Mr Muhammad Najmi said: “If the association knows, maybe they can help me or provide an alternative way.”

Mr Andy Low, who is part of the pro-tem committee, noted that his company has yet to address his concerns despite repeated emails. “If I send an email (in my) personal capacity, Uber takes it as an isolated case,” he said.

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.