This is what it’s like to share a ride with another passenger

This post is brought to you by Grab.

Ride-sharing is probably the best thing to ever happen for the Klang Valley. While our public transport infrastructure is improving with new lines and new trains, getting from point A to point B is still very much reliant on road transport.

Just recently Grab had introduced its new service that’s called GrabShare. Like the same suggests, it’s basically a GrabCar service which you can share with another passenger. Think of it as car-pooling on a GrabCar platform. Is it any good? We gave it a try to find out more.

With the current road congestion, carpooling is the way to go but it takes a lot of coordination from multiple parties. Sure, you can organise a pickup of your colleagues who are staying at different places but the designated driver ends up spending more time going point to point to pick up everyone.

Carpooling made easy

With GrabShare, the new service aims to reinvent carpooling by pairing two different bookings for the most efficient time and distance travelled. From my location in PJ, I took my first GrabShare ride to downtown KL. Ordering a GrabShare is as easy as ordering a normal GrabCar ride. Just select “GrabShare” as the ride option and then enter your pick up and destination.

Sharing a ride for the first time

When my GrabShare car arrives, there were no other passengers in the car making me the first passenger to board. During the ride, the app also showed that Grab is still looking for another rider.

Just before we leave Petaling Jaya, the driver’s app started to buzz and Grab has matched another rider for the same trip. There’s a slight detour to pick up the second rider but it added another 5 minutes into the journey which is still quite acceptable. I was told that GrabShare is stricter on pickup times and they will only wait for a maximum of 3 minutes for each passenger. This means you have to be ready when you request for a ride and that’s a good thing to minimise delay for everyone.

The idea of having another stranger in the same car is uncomfortable at first but you then realise they are just regular commuters like you and me. My first shared passenger was a guy who was heading for a meeting in KL. We didn’t talk much as he was busy with his phone most of the time. Since I was the first rider, I chose to sit on the passenger seat in front. If you’re the sociable type, this could also be an opportunity to meet new friends.

Since my stop was closer, the Grab driver had dropped me first before the other passenger. This was arranged by the Grab system itself. Despite the slight detour and extended time, it was worth the extra savings which goes up to 30% cheaper than the normal Grab ride. When we passed a toll, Grab also splits the charges equally between the other rider and myself which is another extra savings. Overall, GrabShare is a pretty good option but only if you’re not in a rush and if you’re travelling alone. You could bring an extra friend but anything more, you should request for a private GrabCar instead.

Enjoy savings even when traveling alone

On my trip back to Petaling Jaya, I was fortunate enough to get a GrabShare ride without sharing with anyone. If nobody shares the ride with you, you’ll still get charged the same low rates but you do have to pay the full toll rates if any.

As a casual Grab user, the new GrabShare could be a viable daily commute option as it brings the total cost of transportation lower and a little bit of daily savings goes a long way. Overall, it is better than driving as you’ll save on time, parking and toll charges.

In terms of safety, Grab still imposes the same stringent checks on its drivers and all rides are covered by insurance for greater peace of mind. The app still gives you the option to share your whereabouts to your loved ones in real time and you can also rate your ride at the end of the trip.

Now that you know GrabShare can save you money and reduce road congestion, isn’t it time to give GrabShare a try today?

Limited Time Promo

As a limited time promo, Grab is currently giving 10 GrabShare rides for free. If you’re paying by card, you can enjoy RM8 off x 10 rides by using the SHARECARD promo code. For cash payments, you’ll enjoy RM5 off X 10 rides by entering SHARECASH. Just make sure you enter the code before you book a ride.

For more info, head on over to the GrabShare page.