Grab.txt

Grab says here's what passengers can do to avoid longer waits after July 12  KUALA LUMPUR (July 10): E-hailing operator Grab has told its passengers to brace for longer waiting times from July 12, as new e-hailing regulations taking effect are expected to reduce the number of driver-partners on the road. In an email to its users, Grab said it hopes the shortage will be temporary as it works with over 200,000 of its driver-partners to meet new requirements under these regulations. "Efforts include helping driver-partners cover the expenses incurred (inclusive of training, medical checks, vehicle inspections and PSV [public service vehicle] licences). Grab is also working closely with the Ministry of Transport, JPJ, APAD and Puspakom to help all existing and future Grab drivers meet regulations quickly," it said. In the meantime, the e-hailing operator has suggested that passengers book their rides earlier than usual, especially if they have an important meeting or need to catch a flight, and ride during non-peak hours of 7-9am and 5-8pm, to minimise their wait. However, it is not just longer wait times that Grab passengers need to contend with — fares are also expected to rise on lower supply of drivers. In an interview with The Star, Malaysian E-hailing Drivers Association (MeHDA) president Daryl Chong estimated that fares of e-hailing services may rise by as much as 50% if these operators apply surcharges to mitigate demand- supply issues.  E-hailing NGO chief: Congestion, lack of drivers among factors for fare hike By Esther Landau - July 16, 2019 @ 9:27am  KUALA LUMPUR: Demand and availability were among the factors which led to delays in the e-hailing passenger pickup and price hikes over the past few days. Malaysian Grab Drivers Association president Arif Asyraf Ali said the availability of drivers was a key factor in both issues. He said if there were no drivers available in one area, one from another area would have to accept the pickup request. “If a passenger books a ride from area B and there is no driver at that location, another driver from location A, which is far from the pickup point, has to pick up the passenger. “Hence, the delay and passengers are forced to wait longer. Another factor that contributes to the delay is the traffic congestion at the area. “Passengers have to understand that there were many complaints about the situation. Drivers have been trying their best to reach the location safely and on time,” he told the New Straits Times. As for the fare hike, Arif said this was due to demand and availability of drivers, even during off-peak hours. “Even if the pickup point is near, the fares may go up from RM5 to RM10. This is due to high demand during normal hours and fewer drivers being available during high demand.”It was reported that e-hailing passengers in Klang Valley have been complaining about fare hikes and had to wait longer for their rides. They claimed that fares could increase as high as RM10. E-hailing companies had previously raised concerns on the possibility of higher rates and pickup delays following the introduction of regulations that required e-hailing drivers to obtain public service vehicle (PSV) licences. However, Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that the deadline for drivers to obtain the PSV licence, which was on Friday, would be extended for another three months. Despite the deadline extension, there are still fewer e- hailing drivers on the road. Asked if drivers who have yet to obtain the PSV licence would take up courses to obtain it, Arif assured that 50,000 Grab drivers were willing to make the effort. “They want to take the courses and obtain the licence. But some of them can only attend the driving course next month as there is not enough space in classroom sessions to accommodate the drivers. One class can accommodate 50 drivers. Grab Malaysia has been assisting them to attend classes on weekends,” he said, adding that the drivers who have yet to obtain the licence can carry out their business as usual for the next three months. The grace period and “softer approach” was adopted by the Transport Ministry to give more time for the e-hailing drivers to meet the necessary requirements. During the grace period, e-hailing drivers found operating without PSV licences would be educated, given advice and a final warning to meet the requirement.  Expect longer waiting times for a Grab ride from Saturday  PETALING JAYA: Grab users can expect longer waiting times once e-hailing regulations come into force on Saturday (Oct 12) as less than half of the company’s drivers have obtained their public service vehicle (PSV) licences. In a statement, Grab said it had aimed for at least 150,000 drivers to go through the PSV process but to date, only 41% have obtained the licence. “A further 24% are currently waiting, either for examination results or for an examination slot.” Some 22% of drivers, said Grab, have dropped out, citing various reasons, including the time and cost to comply with regulations. Every day, Grab has one million ride bookings and, on average, a passenger can get a ride within six minutes. “Unfortunately, this may change after Oct 12. “With fewer driver-partners on the roads to serve an ever-increasing demand for ride-hailing, consumers will feel the pinch of longer waiting times, especially during peak hours and rainy days.” Passengers, Grab said, should book their rides earlier than usual and should not cancel a ride once they received one, even if the waiting time seems unusually long. “Getting a ride is much easier outside the peak hours of 7am to 9am and 5pm to 8pm,” it said, adding it hoped the imbalance between supply and demand will be temporary. Grab also welcomed Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook’s announcement that additional requirements set by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) would not be compulsory. This includes the need for drivers to print out a physical copy of the e-hailing vehicle permit, and changing their vehicle code at JPJ branches. “Correspondingly, the registration of a vehicle for e-hailing would not be reflected in the vehicle grant.” The government has said it will not delay the implementation of e-hailing regulations.  Malaysian taxi drivers' protest against Uber and GrabCar paralyses central KL traffic  Traffic in central Kuala Lumpur came to a halt on Tuesday (March 29) morning as taxi drivers staged a protest against taxi apps Uber and GrabCar along the city's main shopping belt, Malaysian media reported. The demonstration followed a similar one in Jakarta last week when thousands of angry Indonesian cabbies and three-wheeled bajaj drivers flooded the city's streets to demand that the government ban Uber and Grab. The Malaysian cabbies parked their red and white taxis along Jalan Bukit Bintang as a mark of protest against the perceived lack of action taken against the services, which they say have affected their livelihood, the New Straits Times reported. The sea of taxis brought traffic to a complete standstill along some of the busiest roads in the Klang Valley where a tourist-friendly stretch of shopping malls are. "We were there to protest against Uber and GrabCar," Malaysian Taxi Driver Transformation Association deputy president Kamarudin Mohd Hussain told The Star newspaper on the phone. Mr Kamarudin said he was not the organiser of the protest but was there to support the gathering. The police spoke to the head of the protest group at 11.30am, advising the crowd to disperse, The Star said.