Continuous learning at Grab Philippines
Learning never stops, even for our friendly neighborhood Grab riders and drivers. Aligned with its commitment to providing safe and convenient rides, Grab Philippines regularly holds a series of webinars to empower its riders and drivers to be their best both on the road and in their interactions with valued customers. Titled “Drive Safe: Takbong Pogi, Safe Palagi,” this series of webinars features speakers from Grab and partner organizations, who talk about road rules, safety tips, and the importance of driver well-being.
The series also helps ensure that driver-partners foster a safe and worry-free environment for their passengers, from the moment they board the vehicle to their drop-off. Key topics covered in the webinars encompass gender sensitivity, the use of proper language, and general code of conduct.
After all, safety isn’t just about avoiding accidents. It’s also about being respected and confident about a driver’s abilities and trustworthiness. And that’s what Grab Philippines wants to instill in their riders. According to Head of Operations CJ Lacsican, “Road safety is more than just abiding by traffic regulations as it is a multi-dimensional commitment that requires a 360-degree approach. At Grab, we embrace a holistic safety ethos by introducing industry-first safety features within our app; and equipping our driver-partners with the skills needed to offer safe rides, which cover not only the technical aspects of driving but also the expected decorum when ferrying our passengers to their intended destination.”
Lacsican shares that Grab Philippines posted a 99.999 percent safety rating on their platform. But as insignificant as the remaining .001 percent sounds, Lacsican stresses that that number isn’t just something to be complacent about. So, Grab Philippines is in constant talks and discussions with their driver leaders and partners, as well as government officials to further improve safety.
Grab also makes it easier for its driver and rider partners to learn through GrabAcademy, the company’s very own in-app learning platform. Grab partners have exclusive access to the app, which features learning modules on road safety, vehicle sanitation, and even sessions around entrepreneurship and computer basics. Partners who complete courses will even receive a Certificate of Completion via the app.
A “Drive Safe: Takbong Pogi, Safe Palagi” webinar was held on October 17 at the Grab Warehouse in Marikina, and featured engineers from global construction material company CEMEX. Not only did attendees discover crucial tips on staying safe on public roads, they also learned about the many (there are a lot!) blind spots of massive delivery trucks and the importance of steering clear from these spots. Important tip for motorcycle riders and cyclists: Avoid overtaking a turning truck–chances are, the driver has no inkling you’re right beside the truck.
Other useful things we learned during the seminar:
- A truck can weigh as much as two elephants or 270 sacks of rice. So, avoid being beside, right in front or right at its back for too long when you’re on two wheels. You’ll be right smack at its blind spots.
- Grab drivers, and Grab and Move It riders are screened thoroughly. Their cars or motorcycles are also carefully checked and assessed before they can get on the Grab or Move It platform.
- Vehicle and motorcycle inspections are also done regularly to ensure they’re clean and road-worthy, and all essential parts and accessories are working.
- Each driver or rider needs to have a professional license. But Grab can help applicants get a professional license if they don’t have one yet.
- Move It riders have to undergo a rider’s test/assessment, which includes riding through tight figure-eights and slaloms while carrying a passenger. Points are subtracted from a rider if they put a foot down at any time during turns. The tests are conducted in Grab’s warehouse in Marikina.
- Cash may be king, but cashless payments are preferred in the Grab platform to help prevent fraud and scams. It’s also more cost-efficient for rider-partners remitting cash payments.
- The insulated boxes that Grab Food riders use are tested as well! These bags should be able to keep a cake fresh for four hours.
Finally, and most importantly, Grab takes customer feedback seriously! Really. So, be honest when rating their drivers/riders.
