Ride hailing on mopeds and small motorcycles is something that is an everyday mode of transport in much of the developing world. But many passengers, and riders, carry no insurance cover. A new scheme is being tested in Malaysia to set new standards in this growing market. The trial should offer useful insights for ride-sharing operators in Europe and North America too, because the key to safe transport is smartphone verification – of riders, and passengers.
A selfie to prove passengers are not intoxicated, wearing correct safety gear and have booked a particular route, should go a long way towards making tw-wheeled commuting a viable alternative to the misery of using public transport. Also much quicker!
The GrabBike pilot insurance scheme is part of the Malaysian government’s proof of concept program. Motorcycle riders often face unique problems and dangers on the road that could lead to traffic accidents. Therefore, Grab is committed to providing best practices to raise safety standards for this service, including providing drivers with safety training and practical riding assessments.
“All GrabBike motorcycles are equipped with helmets for driver-partners and passengers, as well as reflective jackets for drivers. As with all Grab rides, both drivers and passengers are covered by personal accident insurance,” said Grab Malaysia’s country head, Sean Goh.
Grab users can order GrabBike within a 10-kilometer radius from a passenger’s current location. Cash booking for GrabBike rides between 9 pm to 2 am will be disabled to ensure safety. And Grab will leverage all of its tech-driven safety features like passenger selfie verification, safety centre, and driver safety tool kits into the GrabBike system.
The Grab Bike scheme has already been successfully deployed in Vietnam and Thailand.
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