Grab launches GrabShuttle school-bus service

RIDE-sharing app Grab has launched a new shuttle service for students and school staff in Singapore, touting it as a more convenient and flexible option than the usual school-bus services.

Users of the new service, called GrabShuttle for Schools, can choose from four-seater taxis as well as 13- or 23-seater vehicles and commit to the service for as little as two months.

An expansion of the existing GrabShuttle service, the new service will offer more personalised and flexible transport options, while helping schoolchildren and staff get to their destination more quickly, Grab said in a press release on Friday.

Prices for the new service start from S$130 a month for one-way trips and go up to S$230 a month for one-way taxi rides and $420 a month for two-way taxi rides. All users will have to pay a one-month deposit, on top of the one-month fee.

This arrangement differs from traditional bus operators, which usually require quarter-year payments, and who may even collect fees during periods such as school holidays, The Straits Times understands.

Mr Alvin Wee, head of GrabShuttle Singapore, said: "Since we launched GrabShuttle over a year ago, we have had parents and teachers requesting routes to and from school, as well as a more personalised service that better meets their needs."

For parents who wish to keep watch over their younger children, this new service allows real-time tracking of vehicles through the GrabShuttle application, and the contacting of drivers directly when necessary. However, students are guaranteed privacy as only verified parents or guardians are provided with the information for route-tracking.

"By listening to consumer demand and leveraging data analytics to design the most efficient routes, children can get more sleep each day, while allowing parents to save time in their daily morning routine," said Mr Wee.

THE STRAITS TIMES