In 2014, CCS worked with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to facilitate the entry of third-party taxi booking applications while ensuring that taxi commuters’ interests were safeguarded, regardless of whether a booking was made through a taxi company or a third-party taxi booking service provider. Third-party apps such as MoobiTaxi, GrabTaxi, Easy Taxi, UberTAXI and Hailo first appeared in Singapore in late 2013. They help to improve the matching of taxi supply and demand, especially during peak hours. Taxi drivers also benefit by being able to get passengers from varied sources of Taxi booking.

CCS undertook a market study of the taxi industry to better understand the competitive landscape and the competition issues faced by different stakeholders operating in the market. The assessment by CCS on the competition impact of these third-party apps was shared with LTA. It was subsequently considered in the formulation of its regulatory approach to encourage innovation in the market while preserving the fundamental tenets of LTA’s taxi regulatory policies. The goal was to harness the benefits brought about by such new technologies and business models while, at the same time, safeguarding consumers’ safety and interests.

In June 2015, Singapore was named a winner at the 2014 Competition Advocacy Contest conducted by the World Bank and the International Competition Network (ICN), for CCS’s work in promoting competition in the taxi industry.

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