Some private hire drivers have noted an increase in passengers vaping during their rides.

According to Shin Min Daily News (Shin Min), one driver shared that some passengers would sneakily take a few puffs, but many others did not attempt to hide the act.

The driver added that when he notices passengers vaping, he would inform them to stop, and they usually listen.

However, he was worried that telling passengers to stop vaping could also lead to him receiving poor reviews, which would ultimately affect his business.

Another driver who spoke to Shin Min shared that there were a few instances where passengers left their e-vaporisers behind, which he threw out to avoid possible trouble.

In response to Mothership's queries, some of Singapore's ride-hailing service platforms shared their policies regarding passengers' use of e-vaporisers.

The platforms unanimously said drivers should request such passengers to stop, and that they should also make reports to the platforms or to the police.

Vaping in Singapore is illegal, and any person convicted of possessing, using and purchasing e-vaporisers is liable to a fine not exceeding S$2,000.

TADA: Similar to smoking in public transport

A TADA spokesperson shared with Mothership that vaping in a private hire vehicle was "no different from someone smoking in public transport", in its view.

"In a nutshell, the treatment towards vaping and smoking in the car should not be dis-similar," said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson said that "a driver would naturally tell one to stop if the passenger had lit a real cigarette in the vehicle".

"Our drivers are advised to check their car after every trip to ensure passengers do not leave behind valuables. If they do find anything which they suspect may be illegal/criminal in nature left behind in their cars, they should be handing this over to the relevant authorities to investigate."

Grab: Passengers could be dropped off if they don't comply

Grab stated that they had not seen an increase in feedback related to passengers vaping.

Grab's driver-partners are advised to request passengers to stop vaping in the car, according to Grab's statement to Mothership.

Grab added that if a passenger refuses to comply with the request, the driver-partners have the right to drop passengers off at "a suitable drop-off point" and seek assistance from the Grab partner team to end the ride.

Driver-partners can also report incidents of vaping through the live chat in the driver app.

They can then provide the passenger rating and feedback for Grab's team to investigate.

Their report may then be sent to the relevant authorities for further follow-up.

If driver-partners find an e-vaporiser left behind in the vehicle, they are advised not to dispose of it, as it may hinder investigations.

Grab stated that driver-partners are advised to take a photo of the device and submit it immediately via the driver app.

After that, they should file a police report and submit a copy to Grab.

Gojek: Users may face permanent suspension

Gojek said it has a zero-tolerance policy toward illegal items and will take firm and immediate action against any user found to be in breach of the law.

This includes permanent suspension from Gojek.

Driver-partners who observe passengers engaging in illegal activity while using their services or find illegal items left behind in their vehicles are advised to report it.

They should also turn in any illegal items to the nearest police station.

"Our driver-partners are informed on the necessary steps to take when they encounter such events, and have been cooperative in assisting with such cases, which includes turning in illegal items," said Gojek.

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