SINGAPORE: Seven drivers have been caught and their vehicles impounded in the latest round of enforcement operations against illegal cross-border ride-hailing services, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has announced in a Facebook post last June 22, 2026.
The operations were carried out on the back of tip-offs from the National Private Hire Vehicles Association and the National Taxi Association, showing that industry stakeholders are playing a big role in flagging illegal operators to authorities.
Over 5,000 vehicles checked since July 2025
Since July 2025, LTA has checked more than 5,000 vehicles as part of its ongoing efforts to safeguard commuter safety and protect the livelihoods of licensed drivers, a sustained enforcement posture that signals the issue remains a persistent one despite previous crackdowns.
Drivers caught providing illegal cross-border ride-hailing services face serious consequences: fines of up to S$3,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both, along with the possibility of vehicle forfeiture.
What counts as a legal cross-border ride
For commuters travelling between Singapore and Johor, LTA reminds the public to book only through licensed channels. These include cross-border ride-hailing services on Grab, or Singapore-registered cross-border taxis, both of which are permitted to pick up passengers anywhere in Singapore for drop-off at destinations including Johor Bahru, Iskandar Puteri, Forest City, Kulai, and Senai.
Illegal operators, typically unlicensed drivers operating outside these frameworks, may offer cheaper fares but come without the safety standards, insurance coverage, and regulatory oversight that licensed services provide.
Netizens react with scepticism, support, and suggestions
The announcement drew a mixed bag of responses online, with some praising the enforcement effort and others questioning whether it was going far enough.
Several commenters were sceptical about the scale of the crackdown relative to the actual volume of illegal activity. “7 out of thousands. Are you sure? Or choose to close one eye. How many in and out the customs per day?” one user asked pointedly.
Others said the signs of illegal operators were hiding in plain sight. “Please continue with more enforcement. Every morning still can see a lot of fully black tinted Starex and Alphard along TPE heading towards the airport. Quite obvious what they are doing,” one commenter observed.
Some took a more pragmatic view of the benefits of tighter enforcement, linking it directly to traffic conditions on the Causeway. “Please catch them all. Lesser of them on the Causeway, lesser jam,” one user wrote.
Not all reactions were critical. One commenter offered straightforward praise for the agencies involved: “LTA and TP officers’ efforts in enforcing against illegal ride-hailing services are truly commendable, especially with the severity of penalties for those caught and the importance of safeguarding commuter safety and protecting licensed drivers’ livelihoods.”
One of the more pointed suggestions came from a commenter who argued that targeting supply alone wasn’t enough. “Just give passengers a heavy fine also. When there’s no demand, supply will drop. Simple logic,” they wrote. This sentiment raises a legitimate question about whether enforcement focused solely on drivers can sustainably reduce the market for illegal services while passenger-side consequences remain absent.
Why this matters for cross-border commuters
With cross-border travel between Singapore and Johor Bahru continuing to grow, the temptation to use cheaper, unlicensed ride options remains. But beyond the legal risk to drivers, commuters using illegal services have limited recourse in the event of an accident, dispute, or safety incident, which may be a risk that isn’t always visible until something goes wrong.
Members of the public who encounter illegal ride-hailing activities are encouraged to report them at go.gov.sg/report-illegal-rides.
Read also: ‘Do not fail the light’ — Netizens react to Malaysia-registered car getting caught beating red light at school zone
