The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will open licence applications for bicycle-sharing and motorised Personal Mobility Device (PMD)-sharing services on 4 January 2019. Applications are to be submitted via LTA’s website^[1] by the closing date of 11 February 2019.

2.  In this application cycle, LTA will accept applications for sandbox licences for motorised PMD-sharing services. Operators that are awarded sandbox licences will have small fleet sizes so that LTA can assess their operations and ability to comply with regulatory requirements, before being considered for full licences for large-scale operations.

3.  LTA will also accept applications for full licences and sandbox licences for bicycle-sharing services^[2]. Existing bicycle-sharing licensees may also apply to increase their fleet sizes or to graduate from a sandbox licence to a full licence.

4.  The evaluation criteria will include:

a) Applicants’ plans to manage indiscriminate parking, including user education on proper parking behaviour;

b) Compliance with active mobility device criteria^[3] and motorised PMD fire safety requirements;

c) Ability to maintain a healthy fleet utilisation rate, including overall demand for device-sharing services and the availability of parking spaces;

d) Applicants’ track record, including any past records of regulatory contraventions, such as illegal deployment of shared PMDs in public places without a licence.

Key aspects of licensing framework

5.  Under the licensing framework, operators who have been granted sandbox licences and full licences for both motorised PMD and bicycle-sharing services will be allowed to operate in public spaces for one year and two years respectively.

6.  LTA will impose conditions on the maximum fleet size that each licensee is allowed to deploy. As with the first cycle of application, LTA will continue to adopt a conservative approach in determining the fleet sizes. Sandbox licensees who are able to manage indiscriminate parking well, comply with all licence requirements and ensure good utilisation of their fleet will have the opportunity to obtain a full licence and grow their fleets over time.

7.  Licensees must comply with the conditions of their licence and standards of performance^[4]. LTA will take regulatory action against licensees for any breaches. This includes imposing financial penalties of up to $100,000 for each instance of non-compliance, reducing their fleet size, suspending or cancelling the licence before the licence term ends. As part of the licensing framework, all licensees are required to provide any necessary data to LTA to facilitate enforcement and planning of active mobility infrastructure.

8.  As announced on 27 December 2018, LTA will be implementing a quick response (QR) code parking system on 14 January 2019 to guide users to park at proper designated parking areas. Licensees will be required to integrate the QR code parking system in their mobile applications for users who are required to scan the unique QR code as proof of proper parking before they can end their trip. Licensees will charge users an additional fee of $5 should they fail to do so. Please refer to the Annex for details on the QR code parking system.

New requirements on motorised PMD-sharing licensees

9.  LTA will also impose new safety requirements for motorised PMD-sharing licensees which requires them to ensure that charging of motorised PMDs is carried out by suitable personnel in proper environments. Motorised PMDs used for PMD sharing services must also be certified to the UL2272 standard to reduce risk of fires. In addition, licensees will also be required to procure and maintain insurance to cover any third-party liability for death or injuries arising from the use of their motorised PMDs.


Annex: Public Education Poster on QR Code Parking System