Grab has rolled out GrabProtect, a comprehensive set of safety and hygiene tech features, partnerships, and strict safety policies to minimise risks of the spread of COVID-19. As part of the programme, the company will be distributing hygiene kits including hand sanitisers and disinfectant spray to its 100,000 driver- and delivery-partners to protect their vehicles and delivery bags.
Malaysia’s Movement Control Order (MCO) has proven to be successful in “flattening the curve” of the coronavirus, with today seeing the lowest positive case count recorded, at just two. With the original MCO and CMCO now superseded by the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO), most business and economic sectors have reopened, with some social activities allowed while adhering to the standard operating procedures (SOPs). Interstate travel is now allowed although our international borders remain closed.
That said, worries of a “second wave” of infections remain. In a recent survey of ride-hailing users, consumers in Malaysia said that wearing masks (79 per cent), providing hand sanitisers in-car (74 per cent), and disinfecting car surfaces (60 per cent) are the three most important preventative measures against the pandemic.
GrabProtect outlines a set of safety and hygiene standards in Grab’s ride-hailing and delivery services. It ensures drivers and passengers take the necessary precautions before booking a ride and encouraging safer and more hygienic practices like frequent hand sanitisation and the use of cashless payment. Also, it gives people the flexibility to cancel and provide feedback to Grab if either party is not wearing a mask.
To that end, Grab is integrating an in-app online health and hygiene declaration form across Malaysia in June. The new feature will require all driver- and delivery-partners, as well as passengers to declare the following before they can start driving, delivering orders, or book a ride:
- that they do not exhibit COVID-19 symptoms;
- they have adopted the necessary safety and hygiene measures; and
- they have not had close contact with a COVID-19 patient in the last 14 days
For your information, Grab’s driver- and delivery-partners have been voluntarily submitting daily health declarations through the Grab Drive app since the COVID-19 outbreak.
In Malaysia, Grab is partnering manufacturing and leading brands such as Dettol, to purchase hygiene products at discounted rates; then distributing them to its driver- and delivery-partners free of charge. Over the last few months, the company has delivered more than one million masks and hygiene kits directly to the homes of its partners nationwide.
Now, Grab will be distributing hygiene kits to over 100,000 driver- and delivery-partners across the nation to better protect their vehicles and delivery bags. Car and delivery bag disinfection services will also be made available at a subsidised fee, at selected locations.
The six steps
Grab drivers and delivery-partners must wear a mask whenever they are on duty. The same requirement is extended to passengers. If either party shows up without donning face masks, they can cancel the booking by selecting the “driver/passenger did not wear a mask” as a cancellation reason.
Grab has also updated its in-app ratings and feedback feature as well as Help Centre to include the ability to report health and hygiene-related concerns. Users can provide feedback to Grab if a driver seems unwell or was not wearing a mask during the ride. The company will take the necessary actions to protect the safety and well-being of its users.
“Ensuring the health and well-being of the community is a shared responsibility. This pandemic has shown us that we are more connected than we think. Everyone has a part to play to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Grab will continue to raise the bar for safety in our industry, and partner with governments and businesses in this journey,” says Rashid Shukor, head of operations, Grab Malaysia.
Latest news
- “Unlimited” Data with Limits? Demystifying Telco Fair Usage Policies (FUP) in Malaysia
- Get Ready for 2024: The Rise of Generative AI in Cyberattacks
- Acer unveils the Predator Triton 16
- Refreshed Acer Swift Edge 16 Laptop set to shine with 3.2K OLED display
- Never miss a World Cup Qatar 2022 match with Astro Fibre
Subscribe to Vernonchan.com: Never miss a story, read stories on Feedly and Medium
Disclosure: Keep in mind that VERNONCHAN.COM may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. Clicking on these links cost you nothing and it helps to cover some of the costs for the upkeep of the site. While we may receive commissions, this does not impact our reviews, views and opinions which remain independent, fair, and balanced. Thank you for your support.
