Grab expands services to special passengers

SINGAPORE: Grab is expanding its ride-hailing services to cater to more specific pockets of customers, namely families with toddlers, passengers with mobility needs, and those who want a ‘premium economy’ service, The Straits Times reported.

The company, which acquired rival Uber’s South-east Asia business two months ago, unveiled these products at a briefing on Monday - also the day Uber ceases its Singapore operations with the closure of its app.

Grab Singapore head Lim Kell Jay told the media that the new GrabFamily (ages one to three), GrabAssist and GrabCar Plus options will help serve ‘market gaps’ which the company has identified.

GrabAssist and GrabFamily (ages one to three) are based on services previously offered by Uber.

Grab’s current GrabFamily service uses booster seats and caters to children only between 1m and 1.35m in height, or about four to seven years old.

For GrabAssist, drivers will be trained by the Agency for Integrated Care to help those with disabilities or the elderly.

Cars used for this service will also be larger to accommodate foldable wheelchairs and walkers, for example.

The GrabAssist service is available from Monday, and Grab said half of the drivers are from UberAssist, a similar service.

With GrabFamily, which is similar to Uber Car Seat, cars will be equipped with an appropriate car seat for toddlers.

The service will be ready by the end of June.