One of the company’s founders, Tan Hooi Ling, said Grab was not out to steal from taxi drivers, but aiming to partner with them so that they could raise their earnings.
Tan shrugged off concerns voiced by some people in the Malaysian taxi industry, saying there would always be objections to prospects of change.
“Every time there is a change, the parties or stakeholders involved usually won’t like it,” he said. “We’re all human. I don’t always like change. But we take the approach of identifying the problems and listening.”
Tan said the company was seeking to improve its services by offering cabbies the option of switching to Grab or moonlighting with it.
Lim Kell Jay, who heads Grab Singapore, said cabbies in the island republic who were moonlighting with his company were earning up to S$100 (RM308) per week on top of their income as taxi drivers.
“We have partnered with five out of six taxi companies,” he said at a press conference here last week.
The collaboration has the blessing of the Singapore government.
“We launched JustGrab, which allows taxi drivers to pick up passengers at a fixed price,” Lim said. “Usually, taxi drivers follow the meter system, which has its limitations.
“Singapore saw the advantage with GrabCar and became the first country in the world where taxis can use dynamic pricing.”
The digitisation of Singapore’s taxi industry, through JustGrab, brought 92,000 more job bookings, Lim said, adding that these bookings were worth S$1.1 million a day.
Some operators in the Malaysian taxi industry have opposed the government’s plan to legalise ride-sharing services.
One of them is Big Blue Taxi Services founder Shamsubahrin Ismail. Last April, he urged the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) to impose a fine on passengers using Grab and Uber.
He blamed the public for what he called a “mess” that had been created around ride-sharing services, SPAD and the taxi industry.
“Uber and Grab passengers spur such services to flourish,” he said.
The government is expected to table amendments to the Land Public Transport Act for its second reading in the Dewan Rakyat next month. The aim is to regulate e-hailing services.
If the amendments are passed, all e-hailing drivers must be registered with SPAD. They will be subjected to strict background checks by the police and the Road Transport Department.