Hong Kong authorities are considering issuing 10,000 ride-hailing permits under a new regulatory framework for on-demand transport services, according to local media.

The Hong Kong Economic Journal (HKEJ) reported on Monday, citing unnamed sources, that the government viewed a cap of 10,000 as a “reasonable starting point,” as the figure would not excessively affect taxi drivers’ income or exceed road capacity.

Authorities believe that Uber’s suggestion of 30,000 permits is too ambitious, while the taxi trade’s proposal of 3,600 would fail to meet public travel demands, the report said.

In a submission to the Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Transport on Monday, the government did not specify a final number of permits but noted public opinion favoured a range of 10,000 to 15,000 permits.

A government consultancy report conducted between November 2024 and January 2025 estimated that ride-hailing services facilitate about 114,000 trips in Hong Kong on an average day.

Meanwhile, the number of active ride-hailing drivers was believed to be fewer than 30,000, as many work part-time, the government said.

The government said public opinion remained divided. According to its submission document, some advocate a higher cap because ride-hailing vehicles far outnumber traditional taxis in some major cities around the world.

However, others believe that Hong Kong’s situation is “unique” and that the number of permits should not exceed the city’s current taxi fleet of about 18,000.

In a submission on Tuesday, Uber said it had more than 30,000 active ride-hailing drivers on its platform over the past year, arguing that the proposed 10,000 or 15,000 caps would not meet demands.

Uber estimated that, if the number of permits were capped at 15,000, four in 10 ride requests could go unfulfilled during rush hours, while waiting times might double, and fares could increase by 70 per cent.

The ride-hailing platform urged the government to issue enough permits to ensure a “flexible” service and to protect existing drivers’ livelihoods.

Authorities are expected to introduce the final cap by the end of June and begin enforcing the regulatory framework in the fourth quarter of this year.

In October, LegCo passed a bill to introduce a licensing regime as part of a regulatory framework for ride-hailing services in Hong Kong.

Under the framework, ride-hailing platform operators will be required to obtain a licence, while drivers will also need to acquire a permit for themselves and their vehicles to provide ride-hailing services.

SINGAPORE/MALAYSIA: Travelling between Singapore and Johor is about to get easier, as from May 4, licensed cross-border taxis can drop passengers at any location in Singapore and at main locations across Johor, including Johor Bahru, Iskandar Puteri, Forest City, Kulai and Senai.

The change, announced on April 30 by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and its Malaysian counterpart, removes a long-standing limitation that forced passengers to alight only at fixed terminals. It also brings ride-hailing into the mix, with GrabCar becoming the first operator licensed to run cross-border trips.

Exciting updates and changes on May 4

The biggest update and most exciting part is that you no longer need to plan your journey around terminals. Licensed taxis can now:

• Drop off passengers anywhere within the approved zones

• Operate through ride-hailing platforms like GrabCar

• Offer more vehicle types, including six-seaters for groups

Pick-ups, however, remain controlled, and foreign taxis can only pick up passengers at designated points in the other country. This keeps them from competing with local taxis on domestic routes.

New pick-up spots include areas near VivoCity, Century Square and Joo Koon in Singapore, and Toppen Shopping Centre, Mid Valley Southkey Mall and Angsana Mall in Johor.

Making travel smoother between Singapore and Malaysia

For years, cross-border taxis could only drop passengers at either the Ban San Street Terminal in Singapore or the Larkin Terminal in Johor. This created friction in travel convenience, so many travellers turned to unlicensed drivers offering door-to-door rides.

The new change in travel journeys targets that exact problem. By allowing legal taxis to complete full journeys, authorities are trying to:

• Reduce illegal transport services

• Protect licensed drivers’ income

• Improve convenience for daily commuters and families

LTA chief executive Ng Lang said the updated goal is to improve connectivity and make travel smoother between the two countries.

Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Agency director-general Ahmad Radhi Maarof presented it as part of an ongoing effort to ease movement across the Causeway, a route that remains one of the region’s busiest land borders.

More taxis and bigger vehicle service added

Both countries will add 100 more taxis each, bringing the total to 300 per side. The plan is to eventually scale up to 500. The extra quota will focus on larger and premium vehicles. This caters to:

• Families travelling together

• Business travellers needing more comfort

• Groups carrying luggage

Fares remain fixed for street-hail trips from terminals: from Singapore, prices start at S$80 for a standard four-seater and go up to S$180 for premium vehicles. Extra charges apply for longer trips.

GrabCar got the first cross-border ride-hail licence

LTA awarded the first cross-border ride-hail licence to GrabCar for three years starting April 30. The authority said Grab met the requirements on:

• Vehicle identification

• Cross-border insurance coverage

• Safeguards against illegal local trips

Other operators can still apply, but for now, Grab has a head start. Below are the guardrails for travel service operators:

• Taxis must carry at least one passenger when entering the other country

• Vehicles must be under 10 years old

• Malaysian taxis entering Singapore must install the ERP2 onboard unit

• Drivers who break rules risk losing their licences

These controls are to balance convenience with enforcement.

A practical experience for daily commuters

For regular travellers, the experience will reduce policy concerns and provide more travel time instead. No more switching cars at terminals. No more negotiating with informal vehicle drivers. The journey now becomes one continuous, exciting ride.

The travel experience also signals that cross-border journeys are no longer treated as a special case but are being folded into everyday transport systems. This is a practical fix for a long-standing travel annoyance, as it reduces friction without opening the floodgates to unregulated competition.

If enforcement holds and more operators join, this could become the default way people move across the Causeway. The next real test is whether commuters stop looking for shortcuts because the official option finally works.

This article (Cross-border taxis can now drop off passengers anywhere in Singapore and Johor from May 4) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.