We thank Mr Tan Yee Kiat for his letter “New options for booking ride-hailing services do not serve parents well” (Dec 9). We are committed to ensuring that public transport is accessible to families with young children, including point-to-point transport (P2P) services for families who occasionally require car-like services.
Taxis are exempt from the child seat rule because taxis can be street-hailed. Passengers with children who flag down a taxi on the street would not be able to inform the driver in advance if they need child seats.
It is not feasible to equip all taxis with various child seat configurations to meet all possible needs, without limiting available boot space that may be needed by other passengers, such as those with foldable wheelchairs, strollers, or luggage.
All private-hire cars must be booked, and families with young children can indicate their need for a child seat or a larger vehicle at the time of booking. To encourage more of their drivers to offer child seats, ride-hail operators are allowed to set higher fares for such services to offset the cost of providing such services.
Our current approach for P2P services balances safety and practicality, allowing families who require child restraints and booster seats to book a ride while ensuring street-hail taxis remain an option for unplanned trips.
Improving the inclusivity of P2P services is a key objective of the ongoing review of the P2P industry structure and regulatory framework. As part of the review, we will be implementing new requirements for ride-hail operators to improve the booking and matching options for families who require child seats or sufficient space for a folded wheelchair.
Yeo Teck Guan
Senior Group Director, Public Transport
Land Transport Authority