As personal mobility device (PMD) operators await approval for their sandbox licenses in Singapore, the electric scooters of two companies—Telepod and Neuron Mobility—were impounded yet again by the Land Transport Authority of Singapore (LTA) in mid-February.
In all, the regulator seized 131 scooters from Neuron Mobility and 68 from Telepod. The LTA said that the companies were offering PMDs for hire in public locations illegally. Telepod faced charges filed by the LTA in court last Thursday.
The LTA instituted new rules governing last-mile transportation last March to tackle indiscriminate parking and safety issues. Under the new rules, each company can maintain a fleet of at most 500 scooters. The deadline for companies to file for operating licenses under these new rules was the end of January.
Neuron Mobility is currently permitted to offer its electric scooter services at the One North business park and the Marina Bay area due to existing agreements between the company and the relevant landowners.
After the scooters were impounded, Neuron Mobility pointed out that it had already put a penalty fee of S$5 (US$3.70) in place to discourage clients from taking their devices beyond the designated usage zones. The company also said that it had dedicated personnel who collect stray scooters and return them to parking stations.
The LTA’s investigation of Neuron Mobility’s case is ongoing, and the company will face charges in court at a later date. The regulator has hinted that licenses will be awarded based on the track record of each company, as well as factors like regulatory compliance.
Editor: Brady Ng
