SMRT taxi drivers will get enhanced Grab Driver app to replace display units

Come Oct 1, 2020 onwards, taxi drivers of SMRT will get to use a customised Grab Driver app. The partnership was jointly announced by the two firms, stating that the new app will replace the Mobile Display Units in the SMRT taxis, with a fleetwide rollout by the end of 2020.

Both firms jointly developed the enhanced Grab Driver app for SMRT drivers. The app uses Grab's booking allocation technology, and is capable of helping drivers start their taxi meters, control their car-top taxi sign, manage their earnings, and receive jobs on both SMRT and Grab's booking system.

"We have been working with Grab on this project for a year now. This new system will seamlessly integrate Grab's driver app with our street hail system, providing convenience and more job opportunities to our taxi partners. At SMRT, we plan ahead (sic) to transform and be ready for the digital age. We are helping our taxi partners to learn how to use the enhanced system so that they can quickly benefit from it," said Mr Tan Kian Heong, President, SMRT Roads.

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To use the app, SMRT taxi drivers need to complete the verification process within the Grab Driver app by logging in to the SMRT driver portal via the app. Doing so will activate their accounts. SMRT taxi drivers will be able to receive training on using the new app during this transition period.

Since the app runs on Grab's various implanted technologies, SMRT drivers are given access to Grab's in-app navigation tool, Grab's safety centre feature, and even a demand heatmap for drivers to identify places with high passenger demand.

Separately, Grab developed SMRT's web-based fleet operations system from the ground up, making it more efficient for SMRT to supervise and control the entire dispatch and fleet operations from a central portal.

"To provide our driver-partners with a best-in-class (sic) driving experience, Grab has invested heavily into (sic) our transport technology and developed many innovations such as our automated ERP calculator and emergency button under the safety centre. Many of these features go through constant refinement to ensure they are meeting our driver-partners' needs. We are pleased to be able to extend this technology for the first time to like-minded partners like SMRT to benefit an even wider pool of point-to-point transport drivers," said Yee Wee Tang, Managing Director, Grab Singapore.