SINGAPORE\/JOHOR BAHRU<\/span> \u2013 Two hours. Multiple transfers. Long queues. That used to be the reality I and many others faced on day trips to Johor Bahru on public transport. <\/p>\n For years, the only real (and legal) alternative \u2013 short of owning your own vehicle \u2013 was to head to Ban San Street Terminal to hail a cross-border taxi. <\/p>\n But it could drop you off only at Larkin Sentral Terminal, which meant it wasn\u2019t particularly convenient.<\/p>\n So, when Grab began making cross-border taxis available through its app on May 4<\/span><\/a>, my colleagues and I jumped at the chance to test this option immediately. <\/p>\n Or rather, I booked one for the next day, since such rides must be booked at least 12 hours ahead.<\/p>\n Such taxis are licensed to pick passengers up from anywhere in Singapore, and drop them off anywhere within fixed operating areas in Johor. <\/p>\n If they are Singapore-registered, they can pick passengers up only at Toppen Shopping Centre, Angsana Mall, The Mall at Mid Valley Southkey or Larkin Sentral Terminal for the return trip to Singapore. <\/p>\n The plan was simple. We decided to meet at the pick-up point for Malaysia-registered cross-border taxis near Century Square in Tampines, just outside Tampines MRT station on the Downtown Line.<\/p>\n As only one pick-up point is allowed for these cross-border trips, we figured the location would improve our chances of getting a ride because of the larger pool available.<\/p>\n We\u2019d then have our booked taxi head straight to The Mall at Mid Valley Southkey in Johor Bahru.<\/p>\n We also booked a 2pm ride back to our office in Toa Payoh North.<\/p>\n Costing $111.20 to get there and RM333.72 (S$107.65) to get back, the journeys were pricier than taking a street-hail taxi from Ban San Street Terminal or Larkin Sentral Terminal, where fares start at $80 and RM240 respectively.<\/p>\n For that kind of premium, we were expecting a completely seamless experience \u2013 and that was what we got, for the most part.<\/p>\n At about 8.30am on May 5, 15 minutes before the scheduled pick-up time, I received a notification that the driver ferrying us across the Causeway was en route to my location.<\/p>\n Behind the wheel of the dark-green Hyundai Kona Hybrid GrabCab was Mr Mohamed Kabirshan Majid, and we were his first passengers as a cross-border taxi driver.<\/p>\n Mr Mohamed Kabirshan Majid, 44, had two passengers for cross-border taxi rides on May 5, with the trips making up about half of his daily earnings.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: GIN TAY<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Our journey was smooth, until a slight hold-up at Woodlands Checkpoint that lasted about 30 minutes. While stuck in traffic, Mr Kabirshan told us that he had another Singapore-JB trip to make later in the day, at about 6.45pm.<\/p>\n These two rides alone would net him about half his average daily earnings, which ranges between $300 and $500. The 44-year-old drives seven days a week.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cI usually drive about 14 to 16 hours a day in Singapore to earn my usual amount. These cross-border trips give me the opportunity to earn more. <\/p>\n \u201cI can cut back on my working hours because of this.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Kabirshan started out as a cabbie with ComfortDelGro in 2016, but never opted to do cross-border rides before this as he thought the regulations were too restrictive.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cLast time, it was very troublesome. You can only pick up at one place and drop off at one place, and drivers still had to queue for passengers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n As we drove past Customs, we were met with many curious stares from officers, possibly puzzled by the \u201ccross-border taxi\u201d livery on both sides of the car.<\/p>\n Once we were in Johor Bahru, however, we hit our first minor hiccup.<\/p>\n The GPS navigation had given the wrong instructions that would have sent us to Skudai instead, but thankfully, Mr Kabirshan noticed it quickly enough to course-correct. <\/p>\n Once we arrived at our destination, the navigation system bugged out again, sending us on a loop before we could finally alight at The Mall at Mid Valley Southkey. <\/p>\n In all, it took us slightly less than two hours to get to our destination. <\/p>\n Unlike in Singapore, where there is a clear sign next to the Tampines pick-up point stating that cross-border pick-ups could be done there, the Malaysian mall had none. <\/p>\n From 10.45am to 11.45am, we did not spot any other cross-border taxis at our drop-off point.<\/p>\n When asked, the mall\u2019s concierge said he did not receive any notice from his management about the building serving as a designated pick-up point for Singapore-registered cross-border taxis.<\/p>\n He had read about it on social media, however, and noted that while there was no specific location, passengers could likely board such vehicles anywhere in the vicinity.<\/p>\n So when our driver for the return trip contacted me at about 1pm, I told him I would meet him at the eastern entrance.<\/p>\n Pulling up in a red Proton Exora at 2pm sharp, Mr Chai Chon Meng also said we were his first cross-border trip of the day.<\/p>\n The 52-year-old has been a cross-border taxi driver since 2004, usually taking passengers from Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru to Ban San Street Terminal in Bugis, Singapore.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cBeing able to book these rides on an app is a good thing, since it\u2019s easier for passengers.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s still very early days. Who knows, once the Rapid Transit System Link is up, maybe people will just choose that, since it\u2019ll be a faster and cheaper option.\u201d<\/p>\n The 4km rail link between Singapore and Johor Bahru is targeted to start operations in December. <\/p>\n Mr Chai Chon Meng, 52, has been a cross-border taxi driver since 2004. Our booking was his first outside his usual route from Woodlands Checkpoint to Ban San Street in Bugis.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: GIN TAY<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Confessing that he had never driven outside his usual route from Woodlands Checkpoint to Ban San Street, Mr Chai relied heavily on his voice navigation system.<\/p>\n But as we travelled along the Bukit Timah Expressway, network connectivity issues cropped up and the system went dead silent.<\/p>\n As he reset his mobile phone, he asked me which exit to take, but I was equally unfamiliar with the route. Thankfully, he took the right one.<\/p>\n Immediately after dropping us off, he said he was going to drive back to Johor Bahru because waiting for passengers near one of the designated pick-up spots for Malaysia-registered taxis was a gamble<\/span><\/a>, especially since there were no advance bookings being shown.<\/p>\n \u201cSingapore taxis will probably get more business in Singapore, while Malaysia ones will get more business there because you can only pick up anywhere in your home territory.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy would anyone go out of their way when they can just wait at home and go downstairs when the car\u2019s there?\u201d<\/p>\n While he wouldn\u2019t say much when he was asked if he was able to earn more under the enhanced cross-border taxi scheme, his small smile as he clicked \u201cdrop-off\u201d on the app said it all.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/picture><\/div>
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