When one thinks of carpooling these days, it’s usually services like GrabShare, which utilises a fleet of private-hires, that come to mind.
For taxis though, their reach on the Grab app is only through GrabTaxi or JustGrab, but today, they will also make an appearance another Grab feature.
Taxis Come To GrabShare
In what can be described as a throwback to the “Share-a-cab” initiative from 1997 that lets commuters share taxis at selected stands, Grab is bringing this back with a digital twist.
Grab has announced that taxis will now be joining the GrabShare ride option in its app.
The company says that with the inclusion of taxis into GrabShare, taxi drivers can expect boost in earnings by up to 40%, as they will be able to complete more jobs within a given time.
According to Head of GrabTaxi Singapore Melvin Vu, this comes at a time when taxi driver partners have seen a reported 30% increase in ride bookings and additional earnings of $220 a week with the prior introduction of JustGrab.
Expect HDT Taxis, Premier Taxis, Trans-cab, and SMRT taxis to be a part of this new addition, and drivers from each company are eligible to opt-in to GrabShare after undergoing training.
It Can Get You A Shared Ride Faster
On the passenger side of things, the addition of taxis to GrabShare means that there are now more cars on the roads for Grab users to quickly book a shared ride from.
With the ever-growing popularity of shared ride options such as GrabShare and GrabHitch, carpooling has become a mainstream mode of affordable transportation.
So with taxis joining the party, riders can experience faster bookings through the app due to the increased carpool fleet of GrabShare.
A shared ride gives you up to 30% in fare savings as compared to GrabCar, making it a viable and economical option for daily commute. The only caveat is that you will have to endure slightly longer rides, depending on your shared ride partner you are matched with.
But the saving grace for GrabShare is the fact that you will only need to go through just one additional stop along the way.
If you haven’t tried GrabShare, you really should. Read about our first hand experience here if you still have doubts.
The update will be rolled out progressively to users of the Grab app from 16 May, and there are no special steps involved. You will still book a ride normally through GrabShare, and the app then will assign you a fixed fare taxi or car for a shared ride.