Eligibility of Trans-Cab, Geolah for full ride-hailing licences being reviewed: LTA

Both firms were given one-year provisional permits, which expire in less than 2 months

- Lee Nian Tjoe Senior Transport Correspondent and Vanessa Paige Chelvan Correspondent

With less than two months left on their one-year provisional permits to offer ride-hailing services, Trans-Cab’s and Geolah’s eligibility for full ride-hailing licences is being evaluated, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said.

The two companies were given one-year provisional licences to offer the services from Jan 1.

If the two newcomers receive the full licence, they will join five existing ride-hailing platforms - Grab, Ryde, Tada, Gojek and CDG Zig.

Trans-Cab on July 14 rolled out its SmileRide app to its 2,200 taxi drivers and 300 private-hire car drivers. Passengers get a $2 discount on the first ride booked on the app, and there is no surge pricing when demand increases.

Ms Jasmine Tan, general manager of Trans-Cab, said the company has been told by LTA that its eligibility for a full ride-hailing operator licence is being reviewed.

Development of the app, which is available in both Apple and Android versions, began in September 2024.

Ms Tan told The Straits Times that the company took additional time to ensure that the platform was stable and met operational requirements before rolling it out.