• Enforcement yielded tangible results with illegal vehicles impounded and foreign workers arrested, thanks to tip-offs from NDCA, NTA and NPHVA.
• Platform operators must provide transparent fare components to ensure fair earnings and informed decision-making.
Enforcement taken after the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) called for a Trilateral Workgroup have yielded tangible results for platform workers. Regardless, NTUC has called for platform operators to provide greater transparency in their fare structures and incentive schemes, as part of ongoing efforts to address the mounting challenges facing Singapore's platform workers.
Co-ordinated Enforcement Action Yielded Results
NTUC had called for a Trilateral Workgroup to address issues that platform workers faced, including competition from illegal operators, following an engagement session in July 2025. Since then, NTUC and its affiliated Platform Work Associations (PWAs) have been working with the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on co-ordinated enforcement actions against illegal platform activities across both point-to-point transport services and delivery work.
The enforcement efforts have already delivered tangible results, with over 70 vehicles impounded and three foreigners working delivery jobs arrested and under investigation for working illegally. This has sent a clear deterrent message to illegal platform workers.
Since the enforcement, drivers from the taxi, particularly taxis operating cross-border between Singapore and Malaysia, have reported up to 30 per cent improvement in their earnings. In the ride-hailing space, drivers have reported up to 15 per cent improvement in their earnings. For ride-hailing, the enforcement particularly benefitted drivers of premium and larger vehicles operating around entry points and key tourist locations such as Gardens by the Bay and the Singapore Airport.
Addressing the enforcement, NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng said, "NTUC and our affiliated PWAs moved quickly when our platform workers raised concerns. Following tip-offs provided by our associations, I am pleased that the authorities have taken swift action against illegal platform activities. We will continue to work together to protect workers' livelihoods."
Platform Workers Voice Concerns on Fare Structures at Engagement Session
Regardless, platform workers continued to share frustrations about unclear fare calculations and incentive schemes. This lack of clarity encouraged excessive working hours, creating both safety concerns and earnings uncertainty. Workers shared that they lack clear breakdowns on how their earnings are determined, making it difficult to judge whether they are being paid fairly, or to make informed decisions about their work schedules.
Mr Ng added, "Platform workers deserve transparency and fairness in the systems they depend on for their livelihoods. A key issue remains the lack of transparency in fare components. All platform operators should provide workers with clear information on the components of their earnings so that workers can make informed decisions about their working hours and earnings potential."
Mr Ng met with over 60 delivery riders, private hire drivers, and taxi drivers to hear their concerns first-hand at an engagement session held at Fernvale Community Club earlier today. This session follows a similar session held in July 2025 where platform workers shared their most pressing challenges.
In response to these concerns, NTUC and its affiliated Platform Work Associations (PWAs) – the National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA), National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA), and the National Taxi Association (NTA) – are actively working with platform operators to provide workers with clearer information on their earnings on a per-job basis. This enhanced transparency could include specific components such as platform fees, commission, and additional fees applicable to each job, allowing workers to better assess their fares and make more informed decisions about their work.
NTUC and its affiliated associations remain committed to supporting ongoing enforcement efforts while advocating the changes needed to ensure fair, safe working conditions for all platform workers.
