About 240 cross-border taxis can ferry people between JB and S'pore

From today, commuters crossing the Causeway will be able to tap close to 240 taxis that have been approved to ferry passengers between Singapore and Malaysia.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in response to queries that it has approved cross-border taxi permits for 156 Malaysian taxi drivers as at April 22.

Meanwhile, Singapore-Johor Taxi Operators' Association chairman Teng Kok Tai, 71, said the 80 Singaporean cabbies in his association have got their permits approved by Malaysia's Agensi Pengangkutan Awam Darat, the Land Public Trans-port Agency.

LTA said commuters from Singapore who wish to travel via cross-border taxis may board one at the Ban San Street terminal, or call the ComfortDelGro Taxi, Trans-Cab, Strides Taxi or Prime Taxi hotlines.

Foreign-registered vehicles are not allowed to provide cross-border passenger transport services for hire without a public service vehicle licence.

Only licensed Singapore cross-border taxis can cross into Malaysia, and they can go only to the Larkin taxi terminal in Johor Bahru, where they can wait for passengers going to Singapore.

Similarly, Malaysian taxis require a permit to cross into Singapore, and they can go only to the Ban San Street terminal.

Before Covid-19, cross-border taxis charged fixed fares, with a trip from Ban San Street to Larkin costing $48 per taxi.

Mr Teng said that his members will charge the same fares, but the association has applied to Singapore's Public Transport Council (PTC) to raise fares to $15 per person, or $60 per taxi.

PTC said it received an e-mail from the association on April 26 informing the council about its plan to adjust fares. But under a regulatory framework that took effect in October 2020, those operating Singapore-Johor taxi services are required to lodge such plans at least 28 days beforehand.

This means the association will likely be able to raise fares only on May 24 or later.

PTC said: "We are in the process of clarifying the plan and procedures with (it)."

Mr Teng said the cabbies in his association all hope that fares will be raised, given the soaring inflation and rising fuel costs.

Cross-border bus services will also resume today.

Malaysian operator Causeway Link said on Friday that it will end a shuttle bus service between the checkpoints in Woodlands and Johor Bahru that it had started on April 1, when the land borders between Singapore and Malaysia opened fully to vaccinated travel.

The company, which is restarting four cross-border services - CW1, CW2, CW5 and CW7 - has raised fares. Trips starting from Kranji, Queen Street, Newton Circus and Tuas Link will now cost between $2.60 and $4.80.

Singapore operator Transtar Travel also raised fares for its TS1, TS3, TS6 and TS8 services by $1.

Meanwhile, services 160, 170, 170X and 950 - which are operated by public transport operators SBS Transit and SMRT and are resuming today - follow the current distance fare structure here.

A trip on service 160 from Jurong East interchange to JB Sentral terminal will cost $2.04 for an adult.