Illegal hitch rides to JB still thriving: 'Many people need this type of service', says commuter

To make their commute across the Causeway easier, some commuters have chosen to hire illegal hitch rides. 

These illegal hitch rides can be found on several social media platforms such as Facebook, Telegram, and Xiaohongshu, reported Shin Min Daily News on Saturday (Dec 2). 

A quick check by AsiaOne revealed that there are multiple Telegram groups where drivers offer their services. 

Some commuters also seek out drivers in the same group by stating their pick up location, date, time and number of passengers. 

When a reporter from Shin Min contacted some of these drivers, they found that most offered to drive passengers across the border for an average fee of $25. 

One of these commuters, surnamed Zeng, told Shin Min that she previously hired a hitch driver from a Facebook group to drive her from Singapore to her hometown in Johor.

Describing her experience with hiring the hitch driver, the 47-year-old clerk said: "I paid about $33 to go from Woodlands Checkpoint to Kluang. There were about seven people in the car. The driver dropped me off at my doorstep.

"I think many people need this type of service, as buses and cross-border taxis can't drop passengers off at their doorstep." 

Another woman, Shen, said she hires a hitch driver for her mother, so that the elderly woman can avoid walking through the customs. 

"I was introduced to this service by my friends and I eventually found a driver I was familiar with, so I felt safer hiring him." 

The 40-year-old executive usually spends about $90 each time, but doesn't mind doing so for the safety of her mother. 

Cross-border taxi driver says it's 'unfair'

When Shin Min spoke to Siti, a cross-border taxi driver, the 45-year-old said that she's only allowed to drive passengers to the Larkin Central Bus Terminal in Johor Bahru, and can only take specific routes. 

"If we use other routes or drive passengers to their homes in JB, we'll get fined. It's the same for Malaysian taxis, they can only send passengers to the Singapore Taxi Terminal at Queen Street." 

With the rise of these illegal hitch taxis, Siti said there's less demand for cross-border taxis. 

She used to have to wait about 15 minutes to get a passenger, but the waiting time has increased to 45 minutes. 

"We spend $150 on our license every year, and we have to pay 60RM (S$17) in road tax every six months just to ferry passengers over the border. It feels a bit unfair," she lamented. 

Illegal to hire cross-border drivers over social media: LTA

Responding to Shin Min's queries, the Land Transport Authority said that only drivers with a public service vehicle licence are allowed to provide cross-border transport services. 

In May 2022, LTA approved 240 cross-border taxis to ferry passengers between Singapore and Johor. 

The transport authority also reiterated that cross-border hitch drivers found on social media are illegal, and urged members of the public to avoid using these services. 

These vehicles may not be insured and passengers may not be able to be compensated should they get into a road accident, added the authority. 

Those caught providing illegal paid cross-border passenger services can be fined up to $3,000 and jailed for up to six months. 

Their vehicles may also be forfeited, said LTA in a statement last April. 

Since 2018, 44 drivers have been caught using foreign-registered vehicles to provide cross-border passenger services. 

Among them, 13 have been charged in court, while another 27 have received stern warnings. The remaining four cases are currently being investigated. 

Out of the 13 drivers that were charged, 11 were slapped with fines ranging from $1,400 to $2,000. Eight others had their vehicles confiscated. 

The LTA also urged members of the public to report these illegal hitch services via email or through the One Motoring platform. 

READ ALSO: About 240 cross-border taxis approved to ferry passengers between Singapore and JB from May 1

claudiatan@asiaone.com