Bridging the gap
Hearing-impaired individuals can earn a living by being a driver-partner with this e-hailing transport service provider.
JOEY Kow, 37, works as a part-time Grab driver five days a week.
“I enjoy it because it enables me to earn a living and meet people,” said Kow, who also works part-time in a bakery.
On the surface, Kow might sound just like any other Grab driver, but she is one of the 500 drivers and delivery-riders in Malaysia who are differently abled.
Born deaf, she communicates using sign language.
Does being deaf pose any problems for her as a driver? Apparently not.
“When customers encounter a deaf driver, they are usually amazed or shocked, but in a good way. It’s not every day that you get to meet someone who has overcome their disability to be independent and earn their own income,” she signed, with an interpreter present to translate her signing.
She added that most of her experiences have been positive so far.
“I’ve not encountered any prejudice. It’s just that communication can be an issue, especially when they speak and I can’t reply verbally. So we usually resort to visual communication,” said Kow, who is single and lives with her aged mother in Kuala Lumpur.
She revealed that although passengers are usually informed in advance that they will be getting a deaf driver, they sometimes overlook that fact.
“Sometimes a passenger might not realise they are getting a deaf driver so they keep calling and when I don’t respond, they mistakenly think I’m not coming,” she said, adding that such instances of miscommunication are rare.
Kow also said that although she can’t pick up calls, she would usually reply via text that she is on the way and ask the passenger to wait. When she arrives, she informs them that she is deaf.
Since 2018, Grab Malaysia’s Break the Silence campaign has opened up more income opportunities for the hearing-impaired. This has helped Malaysia to become one of the few countries whose regulations allow differently abled individuals, such as Kow, to obtain a commercial driver’s licence.
Grab Malaysia provides resources such as sign guides, to help deaf drivers identify themselves to their passengers, and passenger flip flash cards to help them communicate with deaf drivers, she said.
“However, some passengers prefer to use their mobile phone to communicate (by typing out their messages or showing pictures), or even just hand gestures and facial expressions,” she said.
Are there any dangers to not being able to hear honking from other motorists on the road?
Kow revealed that most drivers would flash their lights when she doesn’t respond to their honks.
“I use my rear- and side-view mirrors a lot. When I see other drivers flashing their lights at me or if a car comes too close to me, I will quickly move to the side,” she said.
She believes that having a sign on the exterior of the car – indicating a deaf or hearing-impaired driver – would be useful. Currently, there is only one such sign that’s placed inside the car.
Nor’ain Azizan, 30, who is partially deaf, works full-time as a Grab Driver, six hours per day, five days a week.
“I drive for Grab because I enjoy it, and it’s also convenient because it gives me more time to take care of my child,” said Nor’ain, who is married, with an eight-month-old baby boy.
Her husband, who is also deaf, drives for the company during the weekends.
Nor’ain, who is Kl-based but originally from Perlis, has been driving for Grab for two-and-ahalf years. She revealed that she sometimes even drives outstation to places such as Port Dickson or Genting Highlands if she is free.
She added that she has not encountered much discrimination or harassment as a hearing-impaired female driver.
“I try to minimise the conversation in the car because I don’t wish to give people the wrong message, and that minimises the chances of getting harassed. Also, if the passenger is male, they would usually sit at the back and not in front,” she explained.
Because she is not fully deaf, she is able to hear and speak a little. So, if other motorists honk at her, she can hear them.
“Using the rear- and side-view mirrors is also very important. If I see the other cars getting close or flashing their lights, I would quickly give way to them,” she said.
But she admitted that, sometimes, there are still impatient drivers who get annoyed because she drives more slowly and carefully, so they might glare or gesticulate rudely at her. Although that can be upsetting, Nor’ain said she takes everything in her stride.
“I tell myself to be patient and not get upset because they aren’t aware that they are dealing with a deaf driver,” she said good-naturedly.
She said that, sometimes, her passengers aren’t aware that they are getting a hearing-impaired driver until they get into the car. So, to circumvent any miscommunication, she would text-message them immediately after accepting the drive request, to inform them that she is deaf. That way, they would be waiting for her Whatsapp message rather than a phone call when she arrives.
Plans are in place to create an even more seamless experience for hearing-impaired drivers and their passengers. They include technological improvements by having in-app cards to notify users if their driver is deaf, Grabchat as the default communication channel, and in-app communication guides for passengers to interact better with their hearing-impaired driver.