Private-hire driver fined for touting

A private-hire driver has been fined S$650 by a Singapore court for loitering at a taxi stand to solicit passengers. The incident occurred at HarbourFront Centre on March 31, 2024, according to a judgment made available on September 2.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) investigated after receiving feedback from a member of the public. The complainant, Mr Ranjit Singh Manjit Singh, stated the driver was touting and quoting a premium fare via the Grab ride-hailing application.

Mr Singh testified that he had returned from Batam, Indonesia, and was queuing at the taxi stand. He said the driver, Steven Gan Teck Guan, walked along the queue and remarked on its length. Gan allegedly said, "You need a ride? My vehicle is over there, the one with the boot open."

When Mr Singh asked if Gan was a taxi driver, Gan told him to check the Grab app. The premium price shown was the fare Gan quoted. Mr Singh then asked Gan if he was touting. An exchange followed where Gan stated he studied law. Before leaving, Mr Singh photographed Gan's vehicle and submitted the evidence to the LTA.

In his feedback, Mr Singh wrote he hoped the LTA would take action against such drivers.

Gan contested the charge of loitering to solicit passengers. He argued that Mr Singh initiated contact and that he merely offered a fare which was rejected. Gan, who represented himself, also claimed the LTA fabricated the story and conspired with Mr Singh.

The prosecution presented CCTV footage from the day. It showed Gan remaining at the location for an extended period, repeatedly walking near the taxi queue and in adjacent areas. His vehicle was parked with the boot open.

An investigation officer confirmed with ride-hailing firms that Gan had no passenger bookings during the relevant period. The judge concluded Gan was not there to fulfill any bookings.

Gan offered alternative explanations for his presence. He said he was waiting for a personal job from a customer he had met years prior when he drove a minibus. He claimed he had to walk around due to health issues.

In a prior statement to the LTA, Gan said he parked to wait for passengers with personal bookings and to be on standby for ride-hail bookings. He later claimed this statement was partially untrue but did not specify which parts.

District Judge Koh Jiaying found Mr Singh's evidence credible despite a minor inconsistency about the fare amount. Judge Koh rejected Gan's explanation about waiting for a personal job, noting he provided no evidence of such an arrangement. The judge also dismissed the allegation of an LTA conspiracy as entirely unsupported.

The prosecution sought a fine of S$700, noting the out-of-court composition fine offered earlier was S$500. They stated they would have sought at least S$600 had Gan pleaded guilty.

Judge Koh imposed a fine of S$650, considering Gan's conduct and that Mr Singh felt the situation could escalate. Gan is on bail pending an appeal, and the fine payment is stayed. Under the Road Traffic rules, a first-time offender for this offence can be jailed for up to three months or fined up to S$1,000, or both.