Grab, Malaysia’s leading preferred ride hailing service[1][2] today announced the introduction of its JustGrab service to Penang, Langkawi, Melaka, Johor Bharu, and Kota Kinabalu. This feature which was also made available in Klang Valley to meet the increased demand for rides during the 29^th SEA Games and 9^th ASEAN Para Games, combines both the efficiency of GrabTaxi and GrabCar vehicles under one service and offers the following benefits to passengers:

• Shorter waiting time: Access to a larger network of vehicles in the vicinity means shorter waiting time for passengers.
• Price transparency: Fares are displayed upfront on the booking screen, giving the passengers full knowledge and certainty of their trip fares before making their bookings. This means, regardless if they eventually get a taxi or car, their fares are as per the app (excluding tolls).
• More travel options at different price points: JustGrab complements Grab’s existing GrabTaxi and GrabCar services to offer commuters another point-to-point on-demand travel option. Commuters who prefer metered fares can continue to use GrabTaxi, those who only prefer private-hire cars can go for GrabCar, while those who want a ride with minimum waiting time will choose JustGrab.

“Our objective to introduce JustGrab is not just part of our ongoing efforts to keep improving our services and local transport services, but most importantly to support the government’s initiative and provide a level playing field for the taxi and transport industry in Malaysia, which has always been our mission. This also supports the government’s advocacy for more taxi drivers to embrace digital economy and register to a ride hailing service as a more efficient approach to improve their income,” said Sean Goh, Country Head of Grab Malaysia.

Success of JustGrab

First officially launched in Singapore in May 2017 and in Thailand in August 2017, JustGrab has been well-received by passengers and driver-partners alike for its simplicity, faster journeys and upfront fare pricing that is displayed on the app before a booking is made.

Today, 80% of rides taken in Singapore are through Just Grab, with passengers enjoying an average estimated waiting time of less than 3 mins. Taxi driver-partners on JustGrab are also earning higher incomes, with a 25% increase in ride bookings.

From Flash to JustGrab

Goh also shared that JustGrab was an improved and evolved idea that was first piloted in Malaysia. “In 2016, we tested a feature – Flash – in Klang Valley which combined our taxi and GrabCar drivers under one service to help meet the demand for rides during peak hours in high traffic areas. The testing lasted almost 2 months and provided significant learnings that has mooted the official introduction of JustGrab in Singapore, Thailand and now back in our home turf,” Goh elaborated.

He further added that it is quite common for Grab to study the market and test certain features before refining it and rolling it out to other cities or countries. “It’s exciting to see how the idea is improving the transport network and lives of passengers and drivers in those countries and has also mooted other ride hailing services to introduce similar versions,” added Goh.

To use JustGrab now and enjoy shorter waiting times, please download the Grab app from the Google Playstore or App Store.

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[1] According to Kantar TNS’s latest results, Grab’s services are used most often by 65% of consumers surveyed, compared to another ride-hailing application with only 35% of consumers using them more often.

[2] App Annie, which is a 3rd party app analytics and app market data tool, indicates that Grab is the highest downloaded ride hailing app in Malaysia.