Grab And Uber Taxi Apps

[pdogg]

Has anyone used this service?  

 

http://grabtaxi.com/bangkok-thailand/

 

 

What is GrabTaxi?

GrabTaxi is a smartphone-based taxi booking and dispatching service. Our vision is to revamp the Thai taxi industry, making it a safer and more efficient means of transport we can all be proud of.

 

Why should I use GrabTaxi?

GrabTaxi improves the way passengers hail taxi drivers and the way taxi drivers look out for passengers. Our 3 unique selling points are:

 

1) Speed: GrabTaxi lets you find the taxi nearest you in less than a minute with just two taps! Waiting for your driver is also reduced as the algorithm in choosing the best driver for you is always the closest interested driver.

 

2) Safety: GrabTaxi provides you transparency in information of your taxi booking – driver’s name, plate number, phone number, and estimated fare. Track your driver as you wait for him and “share-your-ride” on Facebook, Twitter, email, or SMS so your loved ones are assured of your route and arrival!

 

3) Certainty: Just open the app and know how many taxis are near you. Subsequently, we provide you instant confirmation on the status of your booking!

 

How does GrabTaxi work?

Check out our video to know more: GrabTaxi: How It Works

 

How do I start making a booking?

Download the GrabTaxi iOS app in App Store , Android app in Google Play Store or Windows Phone app in Windows Store for FREE.

 

What phones and OS are compatible with the app?

As long as you have either a Google Android, Apple iOS smartphone or tablet or Windows Phone, then you’re good to go!

 

I don’t have a smartphone. Can I still book?

Of course! Call our GrabTaxi Call Center Tel. 02-021-2500

 

Where is GrabTaxi available?

We have drivers everywhere around Bangkok! We plan to expand real fast, real soon, so just wait and see!

 

Why do I need to submit my phone number to register?

For first time users, we will be giving you an activation code to the number you’ve provided for us to ensure the authenticity of your number. This is also important for us or drivers to get in touch with you when picking you up.

 

How much does it cost?

Our drivers are trained to turn on the meter once the passenger is inside the taxi. All you have to pay is the metered fare and an additional 25 baht booking fee.

 

Why is there a 25 baht booking fee?

The reason for a booking fee is for drivers to be able to cover their expense in going to where you are. Remember, drivers only start their meters once you’re inside the taxi. In addition, we provide you safety, speed and certainty. We will provide you the best taxi booking service in Bangkok and we promise to continuously serve you better every time.

 

I booked a taxi and my driver never arrived! What do I do?

We provide you with your driver’s information so feel free to call your designated driver. If any problems occur, email us at support.bkk@grabtaxi.com and we will investigate this for you.

[Guest sustra2]

more then this it would be more usefull an app for ladyboys....grabtheladyboy/bangkok.com.....see which ladyboys are nearest you...anybody able to create an app like this and he would be a millionaire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Swedeman007]

With Uber being in Bangkok, it looks like these guys are trying to give them a run for their money.

 

-Swedeman007

[pdogg]

Seems like Uber and/or Grab may be banned soon in Bangkok.  Or mYBE NOT.

 

Anyone use Uber or Grab either in Bangkok or in your home country?

[SiamSam]

Uber has tried entering the market in four major Canadian cities. They have been banned in all four. 

[Trenton42]

Have a couple acquaintances that use Grab in Bangkok, and they like it.

For some reason Uber doesn't seem to be working as well.

Paper says government is making a stink about it. As long as the taxis are licensed, don't see what the big deal is.

[pdogg]

 

Thailand has ordered U.S. online taxi booking company Uber to cease operations, on the same day taxi apps were banned in the Indian capital New Delhi where an Uber driver is under arrest for suspected rape.

 

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/thailand-orders-uber-to-halt-taxi-services-says-operating-illegally/article22001041/

[pdogg]

Grab is in Pattaya.

 

Has anyone used it?

 

40 baht plus the meter.

 

I can't since I still use a dumbphone.

 

Seems like a ggod deal if going to someplace not serviced by baht busses such as Cozy Beach or the Darkside.

 

Or if you are taking a ladyboy home and you are a walk from the nearest baht bus.

 

Don't think it's too much more than a mototaxi since those guys charge per person.

 

http://grabtaxi.com/pattaya-thailand/

[Pdoggg]

 

 

A new taxi service that promises to never reject fares will hit Bangkok’s streets Monday.

 

Operated by well-known bus company Nakhon Chai Air, All Thai Taxi will launch a trial run Monday with 40 Toyota Hybrid Prius that can be hailed via a smartphone app.

 

The service charges a THB20 fee while the meter start at THB35. The “All Thai Taxi” application will also be available for download on Monday.

 

The complete service with 100 taxis will launch May 15. Then users will be able to hail a taxi, summon one via the app or by hotline 1624 at any time.

The key to their no-rejection pledge is its drivers are not freelancers. They are trained and receive salaries from Nakhon Chai Air.

 

Female taxi drivers are available upon request. 

 

For the first time in Thailand, taxis will also accept credit card payment.

The company said it will increase its fleet of taxis to 500 by August.

http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/04/25/no-rejection-all-thai-taxi-service-rolls-out-monday

[Pdoggg]

Reportedly the government will be launching an app called Taxi OK for Bangkok next month.

Programing quality is important for taxi apps. The government's online 90 day reporting system is so bad that many people just give up and drag their ass to Immigration.

If they coded from scratch it will suck. But if they partnered with an outfit that has an app for another city and just tinkered with the code perhaps it will work OK

In Phnom Penh, Pass App Taxi works great for tuk tuks, with prices starting at 3000 riel (0.75 USD) so you avoid the dreaded negotiation. From the city to the airport the price was slightly less than 4 USD which is cheaper than you can bargain for on the street.

[Pdoggg]

Uber is selling It's Southeast Asia business to Grab.

In Phnom Penh, I have been happy with the the PassTaxi App.

Anyone have any favorites in Thailand, the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia?

[sydneyjohn57]

3 hours ago, Pdoggg said:

Anyone have any favorites in Thailand, the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia?

I have used Grab during my last 3 trips to Manila and very happy with their service. Traffic in Manila is getting worse by the minute and lots of taxi drivers will want to charge a set amount during peak times whilst Grab surge fare is closer to meter price for a taxi. In non peak time Grab fares seem to be well below taxi meter fares.

[xyzzy]

I used Grab once this trip in Pattaya and it worked great. Was at TJ's in Naklua and wanted a ride to Sensations. A guy in a newer Camry showed up in one minute and the price for two of us was 170 baht total. Four other guys at TJ's got a Grab to Sensations also. They were charged 240 baht. Don't know if it was the extra riders or ???

Can't get back to Sensations/Soi Buakhao on a baht bus from Naklua. It cost 160 baht to get two people back from TJ's on motorbike taxis. So 170 baht in a nice car with A/C was great.   

I know a number of guys that use the Grab app in Pattaya and love it.

 

[pplover]

It is a pity that Grab and Uber are merging.  Now there will be less competition and so higher prices. 

I have always found Grab to be cheaper in Thailand with a lot more cars.  However in Vietnam and Myanmar it is six of one, half a dozen of the other depending on the time of day.  Their surge pricing seems not to fully overlap which was good.  The main advantage Uber had in Thailand over Grab though was that Uber seemed to cope with English much better and recognise addresses and locations much more accurately.  So with Uber you could type in the name of your hotel and it would recognise it whereas Grab would need the actual street address.  My mate who speaks and writes Thai tells me that there isn't this problem in Thai.  Hopefully Grab will sort this out. 

Worth mentioning that it is still usually cheaper to negotiate directly with a cab driver if you are going long distance.

[xyzzy]

On 3/29/2018 at 12:53 AM, pplover said:

It is a pity that Grab and Uber are merging.  Now there will be less competition and so higher prices. 

I have always found Grab to be cheaper in Thailand with a lot more cars.  However in Vietnam and Myanmar it is six of one, half a dozen of the other depending on the time of day.  Their surge pricing seems not to fully overlap which was good.  The main advantage Uber had in Thailand over Grab though was that Uber seemed to cope with English much better and recognise addresses and locations much more accurately.  So with Uber you could type in the name of your hotel and it would recognise it whereas Grab would need the actual street address.  My mate who speaks and writes Thai tells me that there isn't this problem in Thai.  Hopefully Grab will sort this out. 

Worth mentioning that it is still usually cheaper to negotiate directly with a cab driver if you are going long distance.

Grab is pretty good with that now in Pattaya. It knows my small guest house. It knew both Sensations (LB bar and Walking Street GoGo). As a test I just typed in Zaza Massage and it knows that. Guess it's been improved some. 

[xyzzy]

I took two Grab rides last night and learned a bit more. We arranged a ride for three of us from Action Street to TJ's. On my app it was 170 baht on my friends app it was also 170 for a Grab driver and 200 baht for a regular meter taxi. I did not have the meter taxi option turned on in my app just the lowest price. He preferred the regular taxi so we took that option on his phone.

On the way back to my room we used a Grab driver for 170 baht. The Grab driver showed up in a nice Mazda 2, with a bunch of cool gauges on the dash ,  but it is a small car. It basically seats four comfortably (lots of legroom in the back for a small car). If we had four people it would be a tight squeeze in the back (although my date could sit in my lap).   I assume that answers my question from my above post about one group paying 170 and another group paying 240 for the same trip on the same night. They likely went with the regular taxi option. Which probably gets you a ride that can handle four passengers.

 

[Pdoggg]

is it 25 baht plus the meter or in some cases is there no meter?

[sydneyjohn57]

In last few days I have used Grab in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The pick up and destination selections are excellent you can rely on the pin that has dropped onto the map or you only having to type in the first few characters of hotel or street address to bring up a drop down list. Once both are set it will bring up a price in local currency and once you select book that is the price paid... there is no additional meter charge.

I have my credit card linked so it auto deducts, however, if you don't want to do that you can pay cash

[xyzzy]

On 4/22/2018 at 4:44 AM, Pdoggg said:

is it 25 baht plus the meter or in some cases is there no meter?

  Using Grab in Pattaya if you use a meter taxi you pay the set fee shown on the app. No 25 baht and the meter isn't used.

[Pdoggg]

I downloaded the Grab app and was fooling around with it. 

It seems n Pattaya for Grab Car the minimum is 130 baht but there are lots of trips for 170 baht such as Tukcom to CentralFestival. TukCom to Soi 6 was 180 baht and Tukcom to TJs 230 baht.

Seems handy, if u are going to an inconvenient location with a barfine as an alternative to a motobike taxi.   I fund negotiating unpleasant so this makes an evening more peaceful.  But if alone, hard for meto imagine not using baht busses.

Tukcom to U-Tapao was 850 baht.   The rate to Swampy was horrible though, over 2000 baht.

[Pdoggg]

Looks like Grab will soon be officially legalized in Thailand.

Quote

BANGKOK (NNT) - The government is taking steps to legalize Grab services, expected to be effective from March 2020, beginning with the Grab taxi service. The Grab motorcycle service is pending further study.

Deputy Government Spokesperson Traisulee Traisoranakul quoted Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob as saying the legalization of Grab services via their application will be submitted to the cabinet for consideration. Ministerial regulations and conditions will also be defined for private vehicles to be used for providing Grab services and licenses will be issued for corporate operators of the Grab services.

Ms. Traisulee confirmed the government has a policy to legalize public vehicle services via the use of applications to provide convenience and justice for the people. Many private vehicles are currently being used for the Grab services in illegally, though they may raise good incomes for the operators.

The government has listened to the views of all parties involved with regards to the proposed legalization of the Grab taxi service.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG191215144729315

 

[xyzzy]

Grab prices went up when they bought out Uber. Two night ago the app showed 290 from TJ's to my place. A year and a half ago it was 170 and somewhat more recently 210. 170 was very competitive with two moto taxis at 80 baht each. Not so much any more but still not terrible I guess.

[Pdoggg]

On 3/29/2018 at 12:53 AM, pplover said:

It is a pity that Grab and Uber are merging.  Now there will be less competition and so higher prices. 

 

On 12/16/2019 at 3:27 PM, xyzzy said:

Grab prices went up when they bought out Uber.

There is now new competition as Bolt has just launched in Bangkok.

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Bolt, a popular ride-sharing system in Eastern Europe and Africa, said on Wednesday it has rolled out its platform in Thailand as competition intensifies among Southeast Asian ride-hailers with cities gradually emerging from the lockdown.

Bolt, backed by Daimler and China’s Didi Chuxing, said its pilot venture in the Thai capital has more than 2,000 drivers and will offer better rates to drivers and riders.

“For a minimum of six months, Bolt in Thailand commits to charging drivers no commission for using the platform and offers fares 20% lower than other competitors,” the Estonian company said.

The announcement comes as drivers of well-funded rivals including Singapore-based Grab, backed by SoftBank Group, and Indonesia’s Go-Jek struggled due to the coronavirus crisis that devastated global economies.

The pandemic has also raised doubts whether the ride-hailing firms can maintain their promise of improving the lives of millions of poor. These services were already reeling under high costs even before the outbreak.

 

 

[seven]

On 7/30/2020 at 8:17 AM, Pdoggg said:

Uber

Sickening. And why? What was the reason? To make more money, i e tax evasion. We have Bolt and Uber here and would never use that criminal gig economy. Fucking parasite scum. If you can't afford using a legit taxi service,  just walk.

I believe Grab, which operates in Thailand, and Uber are the same company nowadays.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-62057321

Thousands of leaked files have exposed how Uber courted top politicians, and how far it went to avoid justice.

 

https://www.shacknews.com/article/131333/uber-file-leak-illegal

 

Uber executives allegedly admit its business is illegal in file leak

The recent leak of communications and other files at Uber highlight a campaign to evade authorities and lobby politicians to keep the business going.

“Sometimes we have problems because, well, we’re just f***ing illegal,” Uber head of global communications Nairi Hourdajian shared in a 2014 message sent to a colleague.

 

Leaked Uber files show ‘kill switch’ foiled European police efforts

https://techmonitor.ai/leadership/governance/uber-leaks-kill-switch

Uber executives made liberal use of a so-called “kill switch” that cut access to the company’s servers in San Francisco and prevented government authorities around the world from accessing its files, leaked documents reveal. The secretive activities happened in the background while local Uberstaff in countries such as France would appear to be working with investigators and tax authorities.

The revelations – known as the Uber Files – appeared in documents originally leaked to the Guardian. It includes 124,000 confidential documents from the firm and appears to show Uber regularly flouted the law, duped police officers and lobbied governments around the world.

[Pdoggg]

Ride apps drive down driver's wages which is obviously not good for the driver..  But they are good for the consumer.   Besides the cost effectiveness of Bolt there is no negotiation and a car is almost always available.  If I'm with a friend I'll often take a Bolt in situations where I'd have to take two baht busses.