The changes will take effect from Nov. 16 and see Singapore’s CDG Zig and Malaysia’s Kumpool join Grab as ride-hailing operators allowed to ferry passengers across the Singapore-Johor Causeway, The Straits Times reported, citing a joint statement by the transport ministries of Singapore and Malaysia last Friday.

The two ministries said the latest measures reflect both countries’ commitment to improving cross-border connectivity and the commuting experience.

The Causeway links Singapore with Johor Bahru in Malaysia’s southernmost state of Johor. It is one of the busiest land crossings in the world, serving around 300,000 commuters daily.

Vehicles line up to enter Singapore from Johor on the Woodlands Causeway, March 17, 2020. Photo by Reuters

The latest changes follow a series of enhancements introduced in May to facilitate cross-border travel while ensuring fairer operating conditions for operators and drivers.

The measures included broadening designated pick-up points, allowing more flexible drop-off locations within the operating boundary and imposing stricter requirements to prevent illegal domestic point-to-point trips. The licensed taxi quota was also raised from 200 to 300 in May, AsiaOne reported.

Previously, cross-border taxis traveling between the two neighbors could only pick up and drop off passengers at a single designated point in the destination country.

The transport ministries said commuters who had tried the enhanced services responded positively to the greater flexibility offered by point-to-point drop-offs.

They added that the latest improvements would support the close business relationships and people-to-people ties between the countries, CNA reported.