Grab Launches GrabShuttle, An Affordable Shuttle Service for Commuters

02 MAR 2017

  • Grab integrates with Beeline’s open smart mobility platform to offer GrabShuttle, which supplements public transport services with more direct bus routes at affordable prices

  • Grab and GovTech to study beta trial data and introduce new routes based on commuter demand

  • Passengers can download the GrabShuttle app and pre-book seats from today

GrabShuttle - book via the Grab app

Image: Screenshots of GrabShuttle app

Grab, the leading ride-hailing platform in Southeast Asia, in collaboration with the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech), today launched GrabShuttle, a beta shuttle bus service mobile application to move larger groups of individual commuters affordably from door to door. Starting today, commuters can use the GrabShuttle app to pre-book seats on 15 selected routes, with more routes to be added in the following months. The GrabShuttle app is powered by Beeline, an open smart mobility platform to enable data-driven shuttle bus services developed by GovTech in collaboration with the Land Transport Authority.

“We see GrabShuttle as a public transport connector that links residential estates to MRT stations, business centres and underserved locations like army camps, schools, industrial estates. This is Grab’s third new transport service launched in the last three months, and is part of Grab’s car-lite agenda to supplement Singapore’s public transport network with affordable and adaptable shared transportation services. Priced between public transport and carpooling services, GrabShuttle offers consumers who want greater speed and accessibility in their daily commute, while keeping within a budget,” said Lim Kell Jay, Head of Grab Singapore.

A World-Class Transportation Hub With Public-Private Collaboration

Using Beeline’s open technology platform, the GrabShuttle app enables commuters to book and pay for seats using their credit cards, and track their buses in real-time on the day of the ride. Commuters can also suggest and crowd-start new routes in the GrabShuttle app or via Grab’s website. Suggestions from the public along with data from the beta trial and Beeline will allow Grab and its partnering bus operator to model, price and launch new bus routes based on changing commuter demand.

Commenting on the collaboration with Grab, Mr Liu Feng Yuan, director of the Data Science Division under GovTech’s Government Digital Services, said, “Beeline is built around the idea of empowering citizens to play a part in improving their commuting experience while equipping private bus operators with data analytics tools for more efficient fleet management and operations. Designed on an open API architecture, private transport providers and tech start-ups can easily integrate their services with Beeline’s open mobility marketplace to offer more convenient transportation options for commuters. We look forward to more of such industry partnerships to improve the daily commute of people.”

“Beeline has a ready technology platform for Grab to test the GrabShuttle service allowing us to study and improve the country’s public and private transportation landscape without having to develop the beta service on our app. We commend GovTech’s openness to collaboration and co-innovation and are confident that GrabShuttle will bring the benefits of shared transportation services to more commuters,” added Lim.

Benefits of GrabShuttle

GrabShuttle encourages individual commuters to consider shared transportation services for their daily commute instead of relying on personal cars, helping to reduce traffic congestion and overall vehicle carbon emissions. Benefits include:

More affordable door to door travel: GrabShuttle routes are direct and the buses only stop at a few pre-selected pick up points before the final destination. This is ideal for commuters who want a more direct and convenient transport service, while paying a fraction of the fare of taxis and private cars. GrabShuttle fares are fixed for all commuters on the same route, ranging from $3.50 to $5.00.

  • Flexible trip planning and guaranteed seats on GrabShuttle: Commuters can book their seats ahead of time and be guaranteed a ride on their preferred GrabShuttle service. Commuters have the flexibility to plan their trips in advance and book seats up to one month ahead and if they have a regular commuting routine, they can also book the same route across multiple days. For commuters who decide only on the day that they need an affordable ride to or from work, they can also book seats up to five minutes before the route commences.

  • Making commuting in groups more efficient: GrabShuttle offers individuals the ability to rally support from fellow commuters to crowd-source and start new routes. Neighbours who work in the same district can suggest routes starting in their same neighbourhood and ending in the business district, for example. When 15 or more people pre-order similar routes, GrabShuttle will start the service. Routes are modelled based on historical, real-time and crowd-sourced transport data, and are adaptive to changing commuter needs. By listening to consumer demand and leveraging data analytics, GrabShuttle will be integral to making transportation in Singapore more efficient - by moving groups of people going in the same direction together.

Start Planning and Crowd-start Your Travel with GrabShuttle

Commuters can download the GrabShuttle app from Google Play and the App Store today and pre-book a seat on one of the fifteen routes below:

Morning routes

  1. Yishun/ Sembawang/ Admiralty/ Woodlands to Hwa Chong Institution/ Nanyang Girls High School/ National Junior College

  2. Pioneer MRT to Civil Defence Academy/ Lim Chu Kang Camps 1,2/ Murai Camp/ Sungei Gedong Camp

  3. Jurong West to Singapore General Hospital

  4. Bukit Batok/ Bukit Timah to CBD/ Suntec City

  5. Choa Chu Kang/ Bukit Panjang to CBD/ Suntec City

  6. Punggol/ Seng Kang to CBD/ Suntec City

  7. Punggol/ Seng Kang to Changi Business Park/ Singapore University of Technology and Design

  8. Choa Chu Kang/ Bukit Panjang to Midview City

  9. Tampines to Midview City

Evening routes

  1. CBD /Suntec City to Choa Chu Kang/ Bukit Panjang

  2. Changi Business Park/ Singapore University of Technology and Design to Punggol/ Seng Kang

  3. Mapletree Business City/ Alexandra Hospital to Woodlands/ Admiralty

  4. CBD/ Suntec City to Punggol/ Seng Kang

  5. Changi Business Park/ Singapore University of Technology and Design to Woodlands/ Admiralty/ Sembawang

  6. Mapletree Business City/ Alexandra Hospital to Bukit Panjang

Individual commuters can use GrabShuttle to book seats in advance on private buses operating along planned routes. People travelling together in a large group and need a bus to themselves can book a GrabCoach (13-, 23- and 40-seater buses), either on demand or up to seven days in advance.

The GrabShuttle service adds to Grab’s multi-modal transport offerings ranging from commercial taxis (GrabTaxi), private-hire cars (GrabCar and GrabShare) and coaches (GrabCoach) to non-commercial car owners (GrabHitch) – a combination that plays a key role in advancing Singapore’s goal to become a car-lite society. Grab offers the most number of transport solutions in Singapore. Passengers can choose amongst multiple transport services - at any price point - that best suits their commuting habits. Regionally, one out of every three passengers use multiple Grab services, served by the largest land fleet network of more than 630,000 drivers, with more than 50,000 drivers in Singapore alone.

To suggest and crowd-start new routes, individuals and corporates can visit Grab’s website for more information: www.grab.com/sg/shuttle.

JOINTLY ISSUED BY GRAB AND GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY AGENCY OF SINGAPORE

Related Resources:

About Grab

Grab is Southeast Asia’s leading ride-hailing platform. Grab solves critical transportation challenges to make transport freedom a reality for 620 million people in Southeast Asia. Grab’s core product platform includes commuting solutions for drivers and passengers with an emphasis on convenience, safety and reliability, as well as its proprietary mobile payments platform, GrabPay. Grab currently offers services in Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. For more information, please visit: .

About Government Technology Agency of Singapore

The Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) is a statutory board formed in October 2016 after the restructuring of the Infocomm Development Authority.

GovTech works with public agencies to develop and deliver secure digital services and applied technology to individuals and businesses in Singapore. GovTech builds key platforms and solutions needed to support Singapore as a Smart Nation. As a leading centre for information communications technology and related engineering such as the Internet of Things, GovTech also enhances the capabilities of the Singapore Government in these domains.

For more information, please visit tech.gov.sg or follow us on Facebook.com/GovTechSG and Twitter @GovTechSG.

For media clarification

For Grab
Golin for Grab SEA
Tel: (65) 6551 5444
Email: grab@golin.com

For GovTech
Teresa Tan (Ms)
Senior Communications & Marketing Manager
GovTech
Tel: (65) 6211 1745
Email: Teresa_TAN@tech.gov.sg