Tijuana’s new “Cruce Ágil” program for cross-border workers could begin operations as early as next week, pending final approval, city officials said.
In an exclusive interview with San Diego Red, Pedro Montejo, Tijuana’s Secretary of Economic Development, said the administrative process is expected to conclude this week. Once approved, the program would start immediately.
“We’re waiting for the process to finish this week; if it’s approved, operations could begin right away,” Montejo said.
Limited initial rollout
So far, the program has received more than 2,000 applications, but only fully completed submissions are being considered. The initial phase is expected to enroll about 250 participants while officials continue reviewing documentation for others.
How the program works
Cruce Ágil operates via a monthly membership that can cover up to four people. Memberships are priced per group rather than per individual or per vehicle, and each allows registration of up to two vehicles.
- Otay-only membership: 10,748 pesos per month
- All three lanes (two San Ysidro, one Otay):15,840 pesos per month
The structure encourages carpooling, allowing workers to share memberships and vehicles. By reducing the number of cars in line, officials say the program could help decrease congestion for all drivers at the border.
Related: Tijuana Prepares to Open Otay II Crossing to Ease Border Traffic
For comparison, students in a similar program currently pay about 6,000 pesos per month. With Cruce Ágil:
- Two people sharing a membership would pay roughly 30% more than a student each.
- Three people would each pay less than a student.
- Four people would each pay about 2,500 pesos per month (significantly lower than the student rate of 3,900 pesos).
Officials say the program is designed to promote shared commuting, lower individual costs, and improve daily border crossings between Tijuana and San Diego.
