Everything About Grab’s New Policy Whereby You Can’t Sit In the Front Seat & Drivers Have to Take Selfies

As the pandemic rages on with no clear end in sight, businesses around the world have been forced to make mandatory changes to their standard modus operandis in a bid to help save human lives, and of course stay operational and profitable.

After all, survival is of the utmost priority right now, whether it’s physical or financial in nature. And businesses aren’t any different.

Including ride-hailing services.

Ever since the pandemic broke out, private-hire services and taxis alike have been, in a figurative manner of speaking, thrown under a bus. 

As residents of Singapore steadily retreat to the weary confines of their homes, charter services have seen a huge nosedive in potential customers.

And with paranoia and fear at an unprecedented level, you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who takes private-hire transport when they’re outside the house, considering how the vehicle would almost certainly have ferried other passengers as well.

Truly, these are dark times for businesses, and private-hire and taxi services, in particular…

Are suffering the full brunt of it.

Everything About Grab’s New Policy Whereby You Can’t Sit In The Front Seat & Drivers Have to Take Selfies

But their misery will soon come to an end.

As the Circuit Breaker slowly dissipates, residents will be allowed a little more freedom to go out.

And that surely means business for the long-deprived charter services.

Though of course, any sane person would prefer the ‘comeback process’ to run smoothly, efficiently and with no hiccups. And perhaps that’s why Grab has introduced this latest policy, in a bid to minimize the risk of infection:

Passengers will no longer be able to sit in the front seat; health and hygiene status will have to be declared; drivers have to take selfies.

Mortified at the last one? Don’t worry, Grab did not magically become a dating app overnight. 

Rather, it’s a safety precaution, which I will get to in a bit.

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Front Seats Are Closed For Business

According to The Straits Times, Grab has announced that it will be introducing a series of precautionary measures from end-June, amidst the current epidemic.

For one, commuters booking trips with the ride-hailing firm will no longer be able to sit in front of the vehicle alongside the driver.

This also means that the maximum number of riders allowed in every vehicle will be reduced.

“As part of our enhanced precautionary measures, Grab will enforce safe distancing within Grab vehicles by disallowing passengers to ride in the front seat beside our driver-partners.

“This means for instance that a regular four-seater car will only take up to three passengers.”

Also, drivers and passengers will both be permitted to cancel rides if either party shows signs of being unwell, or is not wearing a mask.

Cancellation will not result in a penalty.

Health & Hygiene Declarations

For two, health and hygiene declarations will have to be completed before each trip. According to Grab, affiliated drivers and delivery riders have already been submitting health declarations on a daily basis.

“The new online health and hygiene declaration feature will require all drivers and delivery partners, as well as passengers to confirm that they do not exhibit Covid-19 symptoms, and have adopted the necessary safety and hygiene measures before they can start driving, delivering orders or booking a ride,” said Grab.

They will also be required to take a selfie using the new mask selfie feature, in order to ascertain their mask equipping status.

“Drivers and delivery partners will also be prompted to take a selfie using the mask selfie feature after completing this declaration.”

New Feedback System

For three, Grab has updated its ratings and feedback system: users will be able to report any health and hygiene-related concerns. This would certainly help to iron out any future discrepancies in the present system.

Action Will Be Taken

Should either driver or passenger be found to have flouted the given precautionary measures, they could have their account suspended.

Whelp, that doesn’t sound like a very worthwhile option.

According to Grab’s regional head of operations, Mr Russell Cohen, the firm is seeking to implement higher-level hygiene standards in the ride-hailing industry.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has created greater awareness of safety and hygiene across all industries,” he said.

“Together with our driver-partners, we can help enforce new hygiene habits even before the ride starts.”

And I couldn’t agree more. This would allow the ride-hailing business to run smoothly even amidst the current epidemic…

And I’m sure both consumer and retailer will be satisfied in this case, as the Circuit Breaker slowly eases to an end.