Extended SRF criteria

• All existing drivers who have qualified for the Special Relief Fund and Extended Special Relief Fund under PPSP and PPSP2 respectively. Nominated PHC operators¹ will notify these drivers of their eligibility.
• The ESRF payment will be disbursed per vehicle. Each vehicle will receive no more than $10/day from the Government. Eligible PHC drivers who shared the same vehicle with other eligible PHC driver(s) in the Qualifying Period² will have their ESRF payment apportioned equally with any other eligible PHC drivers sharing that vehicle.
• Eligible PHC drivers will have to continue maintaining an active driver account with their Nominated PHC Operator to receive ESRF payment; drivers also need to possess a valid TDVL/PDVL.
• Eligible PHC drivers whose Vocational Licence or driver account with the Nominated PHC Operator is suspended or terminated, will not receive the ESRF payment for the period of suspension or termination (as applicable).
• In the case of eligible PHC drivers, for each relevant month (October 2020, November 2020, December 2020, January 2021, February 2021, March 2021 or April 2021) of ESRF payment during the Disbursement Period³, eligible drivers will have to complete at least one trip with their Nominated PHC Operator in the month preceding each relevant month, in order to be eligible to receive the ESRF payment for that relevant month.
• Eligible Drivers under any stay-home notice, quarantine order, leave of absence, hospitalization leave or certified sick leave (each a “work absence order” and collectively, the “work-absence orders”) shall only receive the ESRF quantum if they do not receive full reimbursement or compensation for their vehicle rental as a result of any work absence order(s) issued to them.
• Eligible PHC drivers shall only nominate ONE PHC operator to disburse the ESRF payment. For existing eligible PHC drivers who have qualified for the Special Relief Fund and Extended Special Relief Fund under PPSP and PPSP2 respectively and have nominated their preferred PHC operator in accordance with the prevailing terms and conditions governing the disbursement of the Special Relief Fund (or Extended Special Relief Fund, as applicable), the applicable ESRF payment(s) will be disbursed through the PHC operator that the driver has last nominated for the purpose of receiving any SRF or ESRF payment(s) pursuant to the PPSP or PPSP2.
   

_{[1] ”Nominated PHC operators” refers to Go-Jek, Grab and Ryde.}

_{[2] ”Qualifying Period” refers to Month of October 2019, November 2019, December 2019 and January 2020.}

_{[3] “Disbursement period” for PHCs refers to 31 October 2020 to 10 April 2021 (inclusive).}

Terms and Conditions Governing the Disbursement of Government’s Extension of the Special Relief Fund (ESRF)

The following Terms and Conditions govern the application by the applicants (each an “Applicant” and collectively, the “Applicants”) for the disbursement of the applicable Extended Special Relief Fund (“ESRF”) quantum.

1.       Disbursement Period

1.1   The ESRF shall be disbursed to the following individuals for the respective periods:-

1.1.1         eligible taxi drivers (“Eligible Taxi Drivers”) for the period from 26 September 2020 to 24 March 2021 (both dates inclusive) (“TESRF Period”); and

1.1.2         eligible private hire car (“PHC”) drivers (“Eligible PHC Drivers”) for the period from 13 October 2020 to 10 April 2021 (both dates inclusive) (“PESRF Period”).

1.2   References in these Terms and Conditions to “Eligible Drivers” shall refer to Eligible Taxi Drivers and Eligible PHC Drivers collectively, and references to “ESRF Period” shall refer to TESRF Period and PESRF Period collectively.

1.3   The applicable ESRF quantum will be paid out to Eligible Drivers by their respective taxi service operator or nominated PHC booking service operator, as the case may be.

2.      Eligibility Criteria

2.1   Individuals are Eligible Drivers if they meet either of the following criteria:-

2.1.1         The individual is and remains an Eligible Driver for the special relief fund, and continues to meet the eligibility criteria to be an Eligible Driver for the special relief fund during the ESRF Period. For further information on the eligibility criteria for the special relief fund, please refer to the following link:- [https://go.gov.sg/ppsp3-info]. For the avoidance of doubt, in the case of Eligible PHC Drivers, for the ESRF disbursement in each relevant month (October 2020, November 2020, December 2020, January 2021, February 2021, March 2021 or April 2021), the individual continues to meet the eligibility criteria to be an Eligible Driver if he has completed at least one (1) trip with the nominated PHC booking service operator during the month preceding the relevant month; or

2.1.2         In the case of newly Eligible PHC Drivers, individuals who meet all of the following criteria:-

a.                   has held a valid vocational licence as at 31 January 2020 and continues to hold a valid vocational licence for the entire PESRF Period;

b.                   maintains an active driver account with his/ her nominated PHC booking service operator for the entire PESRF Period;

c.                   has completed either (i) an aggregate minimum of 200 ride-hail trips in the month of January 2020; or (ii) a minimum average of 200 trips per calendar month for the period from October 2019 to January 2020 (inclusive) that the individual resumed the provision of ride-hail trips. For the purpose of this sub-clause 2.1.2(c)(ii), for the number of completed trips to be reckonable towards the minimum average, the individual must have commenced the trips from the first calendar day of the calendar month; and

d.                   has completed at least one (1) trip with the nominated PHC booking service operator during the month preceding the relevant month.

2.2   Eligible PHC Drivers who share any particular PHC during the  period from October 2019 to January 2020 shall have their ESRF quantum apportioned equally between all Eligible PHC Driver(s) sharing that PHC.

2.3   Eligible Taxi Drivers who share their taxis with sub-hirers during the TESRF Period are encouraged to share the ESRF quantum with their sub-hirers.

2.4   Eligible Drivers under any stay-home notice, quarantine order, leave of absence, hospitalization leave or certified sick leave (each a “work absence order” and collectively, the “work-absence orders”) shall only receive the ESRF quantum if they do not receive full reimbursement or compensation for their vehicle rental as a result of any work absence order(s) issued to them. For the purposes of this Clause 2.4, “certified sick leave” shall mean certification to be unfit for work or duty by a medical practitioner registered under the Medical Registration Act (Cap. 174) or Dental Registration Act (Cap. 76).

2.5   Eligible PHC Drivers are required to nominate, on an irrevocable basis, one (1) PHC booking service operator, whom they:-

2.5.1         Hold and maintain an active driver account with; and

2.5.2         Intend to receive payment of the applicable ESRF quantum from.

2.6   Notwithstanding Clause 2.4, Eligible PHC drivers who wish to change their nominated PHC booking service operator may write in to LTA with their request to nominate a different PHC booking service operator, provided that:-

2.6.1         The criteria set out in Clauses 2.4.1. and 2.4.2 above apply vis-à-vis that Eligible PHC Driver and the PHC booking service operator whom the Eligible PHC Driver is seeking to nominate; and

2.6.2         LTA has provided consent in writing to the change in nomination, such consent  to be given only at LTA’s sole and absolute discretion.

2.7   Notwithstanding Clause 2.1, and subject to Clauses 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3, LTA may, in special circumstances,  appoint an Applicant (who is a PHC driver) to be treated as an Eligible Driver for the purposes of receiving payment of the applicable ESRF quantum from the PHC booking service operator, notwithstanding that the Applicant does not fulfil the eligibility criteria set out in Clause 2.1. For the avoidance of doubt, Clause 4.4 shall apply to such Applicant whom LTA has appointed to be treated as an Eligible Driver for the purposes of receiving payment of the applicable ESRF quantum, pursuant to this Clause 2.7.

3.       ESRF Quantum

3.1   The ESRF quantum payable to the Eligible Driver is $10 per taxi (or PHC, as the case may be) per day of the TESRF Period (or PESRF Period, as the case may be).

4.       General

4.1   LTA shall have the sole and absolute discretion and right to determine whether any individual is an Eligible Taxi Driver (or Eligible PHC Driver, as the case may be), and whether or not the applicable ESRF quantum should be disbursed to such individual.

4.2   LTA’s decisions on all matters, including the determination referred to in Clause 4.1 above, shall be undisputed, final and binding, and LTA shall not be obliged to provide any reasons for its decision. LTA and the relevant taxi service operator (or PHC booking service operator, as the case may be) shall not be obliged to enter into any correspondence with any individual or any other party on any matter in relation to the ESRF.

4.3   Subject to Clauses 4.1 and 4.2 above, individuals who have been determined not to be Eligible Drivers at first instance may submit an appeal to LTA, for further consideration of that individual’s eligibility. For the avoidance of doubt, Clause 4.1 and 4.2 above shall apply to the appeal.

4.4   The Applicant acknowledges and agrees that the relevant taxi service operator (or PHC booking service operator, as the case may be) has the right to claw back or set off any disbursements made by the latter in connection with the Applicant’s application, if it is found that the Applicant has breached any of the Terms and Conditions, or if LTA in its sole and absolute discretion determines that the Applicant is not eligible to receive the applicable ESRF quantum. In the event of disqualification, the Applicant shall also return to the relevant taxi service operator (or PHC booking service operator, as the case may be) any or all ESRF quantum(s) disbursed in connection with his/ her application for the ESRF quantum, if required and within the period stipulated by LTA at its sole discretion.  Any ESRF quantum not so returned shall be a debt due to LTA by the Applicant and enforceable as such.

4.5   The Applicant undertakes to indemnify and hold LTA and the relevant taxi service operator (or PHC booking service operator, as the case may be) harmless from any loss, liability, claim or demand (including legal fees on a solicitor and client basis), made by any third party under any cause of action whatsoever due to or arising out of or in connection with the ESRF and these Terms and Conditions.

4.6   These Terms and Conditions are governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Singapore and the Applicant hereby agrees to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Singapore courts.

4.7   LTA’s rights and remedies under these Terms and Conditions are cumulative and are in addition to and without prejudice to any rights or remedies that LTA may have at law or in equity. Further, no exercise by LTA of any right or remedy under these Terms and Conditions shall operate to hinder or prevent the exercise by LTA of any other right or remedy under these Terms and Conditions, or any other right or remedy available to LTA at law or in equity.

5.       Collection of Personal Data

5.1   The information provided in the completed application form submitted over http://Go.gov.sg/srf-opnom (or http://Go.gov.sg/srf-latenom, or http://go.gov.sg/esrf-opnom), will remain confidential and used by LTA and the relevant taxi service operator (or PHC booking service operator) solely for the purposes of evaluating the Applicant’s application and verifying the Applicant’s eligibility for the applicable ESRF quantum. However, LTA may disclose the information (including personal data) contained in the completed application form submitted over http://Go.gov.sg/srf-opnom (or http://Go.gov.sg/srf-latenom, or http://go.gov.sg/esrf-opnom), if the disclosure is required and/or permitted by law.

6.       Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act

6.1   Save to the extent as expressly provided in Clauses 4.4 and 5.1, a person who is not a Party to these Terms and Conditions shall have no right under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act (Cap. 53) to enforce any of its terms.

7.       Amendments to these Terms and Conditions

7.1   LTA reserves the sole and absolute discretion to amend and update these Terms and Conditions at any time without notice to the Applicants. It is the Applicants’ responsibility to check http://go.gov.sg/ppsp2-info (or http://go.gov.sg/ppsp3-info) for any amendments or updates. Applicants acknowledge and agree that it is their personal responsibility to review these Terms and Conditions periodically and to keep themselves updated of any amendments thereto.  Applicants’ continued participation in the ESRF, including receiving the disbursement of the applicable ESRF quantum from the relevant taxi service operator or PHC booking service operator, following the posting by LTA of any amendments to these Terms and Conditions, shall be deemed by LTA to be the Applicant’s acceptance of those amendments.

8.       Enquiries

8.1     Eligible Drivers should provide their feedback to, and work with, their respective taxi service operator (or nominated PHC booking service operator, as the case may be) with regard to any payment issues in relation to the ESRF.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Extended Special Relief Fund (ESRF) under the Second Tranche Point-to-Point Support Package (PPSP3)

(a) Taxi drivers

1. I am a taxi driver. How will I know if I qualify for Government’s contribution to the ESRF?

All existing taxi main hirers will be eligible to receive the ESRF through their taxi companies.

2. I was formerly a PHC driver who had switched over to driving taxi. Am I eligible for the relief?

To be eligible for ESRF:

i. you must be the main hirer during the period; and

ii. continue driving taxi during the period of assistance.

You will not be eligible to receive the ESRF as a PHC driver if you are receiving it as a taxi driver.

3. I am a relief taxi driver. How do I benefit from the ESRF?

The payment for ESRF will be given to the main hirer.  Main hirers are encouraged to share the amount received with their relief drivers.  This is the same approach adopted during earlier SRF and decided in consultation with industry partners.  For further clarifications, you may approach your taxi company.

4. What can I do as a relief driver if the main taxi hirer is not willing to share the ESRF amount with the relief driver?

Main hirers are encouraged to share the amount received with their relief drivers. Please approach your taxi company for assistance with regard to any disputes.

5. I am a yellow top taxi driver. How do I receive the payment from ESRF?

Similar to earlier SRF under the first tranche of the PPSP, LTA will contact the yellow top taxi drivers directly on the disbursement process.

6. What is the period of ESRF for taxis?

The ESRF for taxis will be from 26 September 2020 to 24 March 2021 (both dates inclusive).

(b) PHC drivers

7. I am a PHC driver. How will I know if I qualify for Government’s contribution to the ESRF?

All existing PHC drivers who qualified for earlier SRF under the first tranche of PPSP will qualify for the ESRF under the second tranche of PPSP.

Other PHC drivers who have completed an average of at least 200 trips per month for the period from Oct 2019 to Jan 2020 (inclusive) or completed 200 trips in Jan 2020 can also qualify for the ESRF.

Eligible drivers who auto-qualify will be informed by the PHC operators of their eligibility and are required to nominate a PHC operator for disbursement of ESRF.

8. Earlier, I was informed by the PHC operator that I do not qualify for the Special Relief Fund as my monthly trip count was below the qualifying threshold.  I think the data is inaccurate. What should I do?

LTA has worked with the operators (Go-Jek, Grab, Ryde and TADA) to aggregate trip data for PHC drivers across all of the above platforms.  Should you have further concerns about your trip count, you may clarify with your operator(s) directly.

9. I do not meet the criteria as I also provide limousine services to a niche market. Can these trips be counted?

The Special Relief Fund intends to help drivers who have provided P2P services for the masses prior to the COVID-19 situation defray business costs.  Hence, private arrangements or P2P trips for the niche market will not count towards the number of trips for the eligibility assessment.

10. Why are Grab-Hitch trips not counted towards my trip count even though I hold a PDVL?

The Special Relief Fund intends to help drivers who have provided P2P services for the masses prior to heightened travel restrictions on 1 Feb 2020.  Social carpooling trips e.g. Grab-Hitch, which are on a cost recovery basis will not be counted.

11. If I am driving for multiple PHC operators, would it affect my eligibility?

It will not affect your eligibility. However, you can apply for and receive the ESRF through only one nominated operator (Grab, Gojek or Ryde).

Multiple nominations may delay or void the payment.

12. I am a PHC driver sharing a vehicle with one or more PHC driver who is eligible for ESRF. Will I need to share the ESRF quantum?

If you are eligible based on the ESRF criteria, your ESRF quantum will be prorated according to the number of ESRF eligible shared vehicle drivers during the period from October 2019 to January 2020. For example:

• if there are 2 eligible shared vehicle drivers, each driver will be entitled to half of the relief quantum from the Government i.e. $150/month.
• If there are 3 eligible shared vehicle drivers, each driver will be entitled to one-third of the relief quantum from the Government i.e. $100/month.

13. I always use different rental vehicles for providing P2P services. Will my monthly trips counts be affected?

All trips of an individual driver will be aggregated across all vehicles and platforms.

14. What is the disbursement period of ESRF for PHCs?

The ESRF for PHCs will be from 13 October 2020 to 10 April 2021 (both dates inclusive).

15. I am a PHC driver. I have not received any notification that I am eligible for the ESRF. Why?

If you have not received a notification, you are not eligible based on the trip information that LTA has aggregated across the platforms. You may review your eligibility for the ESRF based on the eligibility criteria published on LTA’s website.

16. I do not have my trip information to help me review if I meet the eligibility criteria for the ESRF. What can I do?

Should you have further clarification about your trips count, you may want to contact your operator(s) directly.

17. I am a PHC driver and was not eligible for the earlier SRF. I have already received financial assistance from the Government-NTUC Driver Care Fund (DCF). Can I still qualify for the ESRF?

You will be eligible for the ESRF as long as you meet the eligibility criteria. You may review your eligibility for the ESRF based on the eligibility criteria published on LTA’s website.

18. I am a PHC driver and was not eligible for the earlier SRF. I had then applied and received Driver Care Fund (DCF) administered by NTUC. Recently, the PHC operators notified me that I am eligible for the ESRF. Can I still fill in the nomination form sent to me?

Yes, you may proceed to fill in the nomination form for ESRF as long as you have been notified of your eligibility for the ESRF by the PHC operators.

(c) Others

19. Can I collect Special Relief Fund payment from Government directly?

All eligible drivers should receive the relief from their respective taxi companies or PHC operators which have signed on as disbursement partners, unless otherwise notified.

20. Will the Special Relief Fund be extended further?

As the situation is evolving, the Government will continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on the P2P industry before deciding or implementing new measures.