E-DAY LICENCE SYSTEM FOR OFF-PEAK CARS

E-DAY LICENCE SYSTEM FOR OFF-PEAK CARS

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Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether there has been a significant increase in the number of users of off-peak cars who have been caught without valid e-Day Licences during the restricted hours since its implementation on 23rd November 2009; and (b) whether LTA has taken adequate measures to inform owners of off-peak cars of the e-Day Licence system.

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: The Off-Peak Car (OPC) scheme offers new and existing car owners the option to save on car registration and road taxes in return for restricted hours of usage. Car owners who register a brand new OPC will enjoy an upfront tax rebate of up to $17,000 as well as annual road tax discounts. Normal cars converted to OPCs also enjoy equivalent rebates. In exchange for these substantial tax concessions, OPCs cannot be used during restricted hours unless the OPC users purchase a $20 day licence.

The Electronic Day (e-Day) Licence system for Off-Peak Cars (OPCs) was implemented on 23rd November 2009 to replace the paper licence scheme. Under the e-Day Licence system, OPC users have the added convenience of purchasing their e-Day Licences through a range of new channels such as online purchase via www.onemotoring.com.sg, AXS kiosks, and mobile-SMS services between 6.00 am and midnight daily. These are in addition to Singapore Post outlets and Automobile Association of Singapore offices where paper licences were previously purchased. Under the new system, OPC users also have the flexibility to purchase their e-Day Licences after using the OPC as long as they do so before 2359 hours the next day. These changes are significant and beneficial to OPC users as they no longer have to pre-purchase the paper licences and display them in their vehicles during the restricted hours.

Prior to the launch of the system, there were press releases to announce the details of the new system. Letters and guidebooks were sent to all OPC owners. Information on the scheme is also available on LTA’s website www.onemotoring.com.sg .

With the e-Day Licence system in place, OPC drivers, most of whom are law-abiding, would no longer have their journeys disrupted because of OPC enforcement checks when they use their OPCs during restricted hours. Instead, OPCs sighted on the roads during restricted hours will be recorded and subsequently verified against the backend records to establish if a valid e-Day Licence had been purchased.

Given the substantial financial savings that OPC owners enjoy, there is a need to guard against abuse of the scheme by the errant minority. The enforcement regime under the e-Day Licence scheme has been more effective in detecting OPC violations. Since the implementation, the number of detected OPC offences had increased from about 1,300 a year in 2008 and 2009, to about 12,000 offences in 2010.

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