We excitedly wrote last week that GrabHitch, Grab's carpooling offshoot, was launching a route between Johor and Singapore, which would have meant riding in the comfort of a car with friendly strangers for as little as $9-12, starting Jun 20. Well, wah wah, turns out, the LTA and Malaysian authorities have said it's illegal. Malaysian-registered cars are prohibited from providing hiring services in Singapore without the required public service vehicle license which is also the case for Singaporean-registered cars without public service licenses in Malaysia.

 

But that might not be bad news. Grab will now be offering the rides for free as part of their pilot program for a period of three weeks from now till Jul 8. The rides are only available when you book in advance and key in your start and end points. Don't be alarmed by the fare that pops up on your screen: it will be waived once you've booked the ride. For more information on booking procedures, click here. The offer is only valid for three weeks, so enjoy it while it lasts. 

 

For more details on Grab and GrabHitch, click on their website.