PARF SCHEME FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

Dr Tan Cheng Bock asked the Acting Minister for Communications when a Preferential Additional Registration Fee (PARF) scheme will be introduced for commercial vehicles, especially pick-ups, lorries and vans, many of which are very old and decrepit and whether he is aware that such PARF scheme for commercial vehicles will help control the commercial vehicle population.

Dr Yeo Ning Hong: My Ministry has no plans at the moment to introduce a Preferential Additional Registration Fee (PARF) scheme for commercial goods vehicles.

PARF scheme for cars was introduced to encourage car owners to replace their cars which were less than 10 years old. It is the high ARF and not the PARF scheme which is effective in controlling the car population. Therefore, it is unlikely that a PARF scheme for commercial vehicles will help control the commercial vehicle population.

We recently introduced a statutory life span of 20 years for commercial vehicles. Those more than 10 years old will now be inspected twice annually instead of just once a year. These measures should ensure that our commercial vehicles are roadworthy.