Medical exam process for taxi, private-hire drivers aged 65 and above to be simplified

The medical examination process for elderly taxi and private-hire drivers will be simplified from next month, said the authorities on Monday (Jan 26). 

Vocational licence drivers aged 65 and older are required by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to undergo a medical exam annually. 

Meanwhile, the Traffic Police (TP) require drivers aged 65 and older, who have a Class 2 and 3 licence, to undergo a medical exam every three years. 

For those with class 4 and 5 — buses and heavy vehicles — it is every year until they are 74-years-old. 

Drivers are required to scan and upload their completed medical exam reports to the respective agencies' portal.

In a joint news release on Monday, LTA and the police said that some vocational licence drivers may mistakenly undergo two medical exams when they receive separate notification letters from both TP and LTA, when only one is needed. 

The authorities said that from Feb 2, drivers who are due for a medical exam will receive only one notification letter annually from either TP or LTA. 

The doctor who conducts the Fitness to Drive medical exam will then submit the result in a new 'harmonised' report to LTA and TP.

"With this, drivers will no longer need to scan and upload the completed medical report themselves," said LTA and the police.

[[nid:727247]]

chingshijie@asiaone.com