GrabTaxi hits at Uber in Singapore with launch of premium
service GrabCar
Raring to go from raising its
biggest funding round to date – US$15 million led by GGV Capital –
GrabTaxi is now accelerating its expansion in Singapore with the
launch of its Uber-esque GrabCar service here.
Through data gathered by the
team since GrabTaxi was launched locally last year, there are still
pockets of time when the demand for taxis is not fully matched by
supply – especially during peak hours, according to Anthony Tan,
founder and CEO of GrabTaxi. GrabCar is their solution to this
problem, allowing them to meet the demand without taking away
business from their core user base of taxis.
“The inclusion of GrabCar as
part of the GrabTaxi service [...] offers them [customers] access
to a wider network of taxis as well as premium cars,” says Tan. “
[GrabCar] will give our passengers that personalised experience,
while at the same time, ensuring quick, safe and reliable
rides.
” To book a cab, all
passengers need to do is select ‘GrabCar’ as their ‘car type’ in
the GrabTaxi app.
See: Why GrabTaxi is giving Singapore’s
largest taxi operator a run for its money
http://www.techinasia.com/grabtaxi-eat-comforts-lunch/
The launch of their premium service in Singapore is a direct
challenge to Uber’s presence here. While GrabTaxi currently has the
second largest fleet of cab drivers locally, it remains to be seen
if they can replicate their performance with luxury car
hires.
With already-high car prices
steadily increasing locally, GrabCar’s service might just be what
citizens need. According to Lim Kell Jay, general manager of
GrabTaxi, the aim of GrabCar is to provide passengers with the
perks of car ownership, minus the hassle – and certainly, minus the
cost:
We deliver you from doorstep
to doorstep so that you don’t have to worry about parking and the
changing driving conditions in Singapore – simply leave the driving
to us. Also, speed remains our biggest priority – backed by the
same promise as GrabTaxi, we are working closely with our partners
to ensure we have sufficient quality drivers to back the
demand.
Across the region, the GrabTaxi mobile
app has been downloaded 1.5 million times, and they claim to
have about 270,000 users per month.
