Grab Malaysia Introduces Group Ride To Promote Smarter, Cost-efficient Commuting

PUTRAJAYA, May 8 (Bernama) -- Grab Malaysia has introduced “Group Ride”, a new feature on its application aimed at promoting more efficient and sustainable travel while helping users reduce transportation costs.

The feature, which carries the tagline “Kongsi Perjalanan, Kongsi Tambang”, is aligned with the government’s efforts to encourage Malaysians to adopt smarter and more sustainable mobility habits.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the initiative supports the ministry’s TanggungjawabBersama call for e-hailing operators to expand carpool services and reduce travel expenses for commuters.

“The disruption in fuel supply due to the conflict in West Asia has already seen more Malaysians turning to public transport for savings, so we encourage the introduction of services that provide customers with wider mobility options, syncing with other modes of transportation such as commuter rail to reduce the need for private car usage,” he said in a statement issued by Grab.

Loke said the ministry supports initiatives that enhance the rakyat’s well-being through improvements in the transportation ecosystem.

“We are pleased to see Grab’s technology enabling smarter route planning, thus helping driver-partners optimise their time and earning potential behind the wheel while reducing fuel wastage,” he added.

Loke also experienced the feature first-hand by taking a Group Ride with several ministry personnel in Putrajaya.

Meanwhile, Grab Malaysia Director of Country Operations and Mobility Rashid Shukor said the new feature was introduced following strong demand from passengers who frequently share rides with colleagues, friends and family members.

“Our passengers have long been sharing rides to save fares, especially among colleagues commuting for work or friends going to the same event, which led us to introduce Group Ride to address their pain points. This feature elevates affordability, convenience and flexibility for passengers, lowering individual travel cost,” he said.

Rashid said the initiative would also benefit the broader transportation ecosystem by optimising road usage, reducing congestion and supporting a more sustainable urban transport system, including lowering carbon footprint and petrol consumption amid global supply disruptions.

Under the feature, multiple passengers travelling on similar routes can share a single vehicle, reducing the number of cars on the road while allowing more passengers to reach their destinations efficiently.

Among the key features offered are fare savings of up to 40 per cent compared to individual bookings, flexible payment options and AI-driven route optimisation technology to improve travel efficiency.

The feature also supports multiple pick-up and drop-off points, while a forthcoming “Waiting Room” function will allow passengers to coordinate and track journeys in real time.

Grab said Group Ride bookings are integrated with its existing safety infrastructure, including the Safety Centre, SOS emergency assistance button and trip monitoring technology.

The feature is being rolled out progressively to eligible users nationwide through the Grab mobile application.

-- BERNAMA