Grab’s app now nags driver-partners when it’s time for a break

Tino Sambora, senior product manager
. July 28, 2023 . Indonesia , Malaysia , Philippines , Singapore , Thailand , Vietnam

The Grab driver app has a “fatigue nudges” safety feature which reminds driver-partners to take a break when they’ve been driving for long hours. These reminders are based on the app’s reading of the driver’s online and offline hours, which provides a gauge of fatigue levels.

The feature is being rolled out across the region and will be available in all countries Grab operates in by end-August.

Early response has been positive. In test groups in Vietnam and Indonesia, we found a significant reduction in the number of driver-partners driving beyond the recommended uptime threshold. This also had little to no impact on ride availability.

A feature to remind our driver-partners to get enough rest

Driving is a physically demanding task that many underestimate. While on the road, drivers have to stay focused while navigating traffic and anticipating potential hazards; they also have to understand traffic rules and exercise quick judgement in response to conditions around them.

Long hours on the road can take a toll on a driver’s ability to focus. Studies have shown that fatigue can impair cognitive function and reaction times, making even the most skilled drivers prone to errors and accidents.

That’s why we began building a smart driver fatigue management model to ensure our driver-partners are getting enough rest. It monitors a driver-partner’s total online hours and whether it’s followed by sufficient continuous offline hours. We trigger reminders when their online hours exceed our recommended threshold.

Driver-partners on four-wheel vehicles will be prompted to take a five-hour uninterrupted break if they’ve been online for over 10 hours while those on two-wheel vehicles will see a nudge to take a six-hour break after being online for 11 hours.

Online hours refer to the time that a driver-partner is logged onto their driver app. During this period, driver-partners could be completing a job, resting or idling while waiting for bookings to be assigned.

The app will display a second action card to remind them of accident risks if they exceed the recommended online hours by three hours (see diagram).

These nudges to take a break will remain on their screens until they’ve gone offline for at least 5 and 6 hours consecutively for four-wheel and two-wheel vehicles respectively.

Enhanced visibility for safety reminders

Our design has gone through several iterations based on driver feedback. In earlier iterations, we experimented with reminder cards that were displayed while driver-partners were waiting to receive jobs. However, we found that these reminders were often overlooked.

This prompted us to fine-tune the design of the nudges so that they’re more visible within the app. A “Take a break?” call-to-action is displayed prominently on-screen and serves to guide driver-partners to tap on the green button to go offline. Unlike the initial designs that were text-heavy, we also included action cards that were accompanied by graphics. 

We plan for future versions of the alerts to be more customised to the individual, to take into consideration the time of day, rest between journeys, and the total number of bookings they’ve taken in the day.

The fatigue nudges are the latest in a host of safety features that we’ve developed to keep our driver-partners and passengers safe on the road. Read about how our driver app can detect driving behaviour and proactively send personalised tips to build good habits. 

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Komsan Chiyadis

GrabFood delivery-partner, Thailand

Komsan Chiyadis

GrabFood delivery-partner, Thailand

COVID-19 has dealt an unprecedented blow to the tourism industry, affecting the livelihoods of millions of workers. One of them was Komsan, an assistant chef in a luxury hotel based in the Srinakarin area.

As the number of tourists at the hotel plunged, he decided to sign up as a GrabFood delivery-partner to earn an alternative income. Soon after, the hotel ceased operations.

Komsan has viewed this change through an optimistic lens, calling it the perfect opportunity for him to embark on a fresh journey after his previous job. Aside from GrabFood deliveries, he now also picks up GrabExpress jobs. It can get tiring, having to shuttle between different locations, but Komsan finds it exciting. And mostly, he’s glad to get his income back on track.