Grab Bike
Grab Bike is one of the services of Grab, formerly known as Grab Taxi.
Grab Taxi was established in Malaysia in 2012 by co-founders Anthony Tan and Hooi Ling Tan. It was originally called MyTeksi during its initial launch in Kuala Lumpur. Grab Bike was launched in 2014 as an on-demand motorcycle service in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In May 2015, Grab Bike expanded to Jakarta, Indonesia.
Services/Features
Grab Bike is a service that enables users to book a motorcycle taxi ride through the Grab app. Grab offers customers with several different transportation options, such as Grab Taxi, Grab Car, Grab Express (delivery of parcels), Grab Car for 6 seater vehicles, Grab Car Premium, and Grab Express Lite. Since the concept of booking motorcycle rides is relatively new- as opposed to booking a private car or taxi-there have been some concerns regarding the safety and legitimacy of Grab Bike. However, on the Grab Bike website, the company states that they are frequently in contact with authorities. The website also states that Grab Bike applies the same safety standards that are used in the rest of Grab’s services. Three main pillars, namely: safety, certainty, and speed are the foundations of Grab’s services. All of Grab’s bike drivers undergo a strict selection process before they are accepted. Background checks are done and they are also required to submit documents as part of the screening method.
Previously, Grab Bike was an option of the Grab app services but they now developed and run their own app. In order to book a Grab Bike, customers only need to download the Grab Bike app, register then create a profile. Once the user is ready to book a bike ride, they need to choose the “Bike” option, enter the pick-up and drop off points. When the booking has been confirmed, the customer can trace the location of chosen Grab Bike via GPS on the mobile app’s screen, as well as the name of the driver.
Customers can pay Grab Bike with the same options payment options available for other Grab services which include a credit card option as well as cash.
Locations
Grab Bike currently operates in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. However, operations in the Philippines have been put on hold until further notice due to issues with governance.
Investors
Grab has been funded by 10 investors so far, namely: 500 Startups, China Investment Corporation, Coatue Management, GGV Capital, Hillhouse Capital Group, Qunar, SoftBank, SoftBank Capital, Tiger Global Management, and Vertex Ventures.
Rates
Grab Bike charges PhP 40 to cover the initial 2 kilometers as its base fare. After that, the system charges an additional PhP 10 for every kilometer up to 7 kilometers. Once the mileage has exceeded 7 kilometers the charge is PhP 5 for every succeeding kilometer.
Go Jek
Go Jek was founded by Nadiem Makarim in August 2010 although the business was formally launched in February 2011.
Services/Features
More than just a motorcycle bike transportation service, Go Jek is considered a social enterprise that utilizes the service of trustworthy motorcycle taxi drivers known locally in Indonesia as ojek. Go Jek was established because its owners recognized the importance of the motorcycle as a method of transportation in Jakarta, a city that is notorious for heavy traffic and congested roads. Apart from booking motorcycle taxis from the app to transport one customer to another, Go Jek also offers a wide range of services that can help make the life of Jakartans easier. For example, users who download the Go Jek app have the ability to run errands, deliver food, beauty products, and parcels, order massages at home, and more. Each time an ojek or driver is booked, they can be tracked just by looking at the mobile app map.
Go Bike is the name of Go Jek’s transportation service. In order to make a booking with Go Bike, customers need to download the Go Jek app, indicate the pick-up location as well as drop off point. The screen will then reveal how far the chosen driver is and how long he will take to arrive at the destination. In-app communication between driver and passenger is also available.
Go Jek currently employs 200,000 drivers throughout Indonesia.
Locations
Go Ride, the motorcycle service of Go Jek, operates in Jakarta, Bali, Bandung, Makassar, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Palembang, Medan, Balikpapan, and Semarang.
Investors
2 investors have poured funding into Go Jek so far: these are Sequoia Capital and NSI Ventures.
UberMoto
The story of Uber began in Paris one winter in 2008 when 2 men named Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp encountered difficulties in finding a taxi. This is when they recognized that there was an opportunity in the market for customers to book a cab just by pressing a button. Garrett then created some prototypes for iPhone apps that enabled users to book private vehicles through their phone. In January 2010, Uber was launched in New York, offering sleek black vehicles as a means of testing the service. The initial roll out was a success, and Uber expanded to San Francisco and then went on to go global.
UberMoto (motorbike taxis) was supposed to be the latest in its string of transportation offerings, but this new service has faced a few severe snags along the way.
Services/Features
UberMoto was designed for the locals in mind, who, in heavily trafficked cities across Asia often use motorbikes. This service began in Bangkok, Thailand as well as Bangalore, India, and ran into government trouble in both regions. The services were quickly shut down and drivers were warned with potential fines if they continued the service. However, Uber has certainly faced its fair share of regulation troubles before and has managed to gain the upper hand in most regions. There is no final chapter to this service-yet- and it’s certainly only a matter of time, and lawyers, before UberMoto is back up and running.
Locations
UberMoto is not currently operating.
Investors
Uber is currently valued at $50 billion, due to a robust portfolio of 56 investors.