Grab Philippines is rolling out a new feature in its app that will disable its drivers from seeing the destination of passengers before they accept bookings. This move is obviously to address rising number of complaints from passengers, who usually report difficulty in booking rides during peak hours, more especially if they are bound to destinations that are either too far or are located in areas notorious for standstill traffic congestion.
However, Grab Country Head Brian Cu has pointed out several clarifications regarding the implementation of this new scheme, which will start on Friday (April 27).
1. The non-showing of passenger information prior to ride acceptance will initially be imposed to just 25% of Grab drivers, particularly those who have a record of low acceptance rate.
2. The destination masking feature will be disabled “during wee hours of the night” to allow drivers to determine passenger determination ahead of booking confirmation. Grab says this is a measure they will keep to protect the safety of their drivers.
3. Passengers will be required to provide accurate and complete information on their accounts. They would also be required to link their Grab accounts with their social media handles for greater verification. “We will never compromise safety and we will always put the welfare of our drivers and passengers first,” Cu said. “We hope that our passengers will do their part and verify their accounts for safety and proper identity.”
4. At the same time, an auto-accept feature will also be rolled out on April 27 so that trips can be automatically assigned to drivers for the further convenience of passengers.
Cu reiterated that these new measures are part of the transport network company’s goal to further improve its services. On Monday (April 23), Grab revealed that it has sanctioned up to 500 erring drivers and that it is temporarily waiving the P2 per minute charge it imposes to passengers to help assure drivers’ income, especially during traffic rush hours.