From Thailand’s tuk-tuks to the Philippines’ jeepneys, Southeast Asia has a wide range of variety in local transportation modes.
With diverse local conditions and millions of motorists weaving their way through city streets every day, it’s no surprise that Southeast Asian transport has evolved so much, especially with public transport accounting for nearly 70% of urban passenger trips.
And always keeping up with these changes is Grab, embracing local modes of transport and optimising hyper-localised custom maps to give our driver-partners an advantage as they navigate challenging traffic and changing conditions throughout the day.
Custom maps for optimised routes
Thanks to GrabMaps and the local knowledge infused into it, driver-partners quickly find quick and effective routes through urban mayhem and varied local transportation modes in hundreds of cities throughout the region.
In Jakarta, this means we develop a custom city map that includes narrow alleys suitable for two-wheel vehicles, whereas in Chiang Mai, we incorporate road restrictions that only apply to tuk-tuks.
As such, merchants can rest assured that delivery partners always use a personalised map for their chosen mode of transport so that hungry diners at the end of the road are not kept waiting.
Case in point: Thailand, where a majestic waterway, bordered by houses, businesses, parks, markets, temples, hotels and monuments, is a vital part of Bangkok’s transport infrastructure.
From the commuters’ favourite Green Flag Express to the flat-bottomed rafts servicing small piers, different ferries service different passengers throughout each day.
As such, using a car ferry is often a faster alternative to the bridge. Motorcycles, tuk-tuks and cars can board the ferry at Phra Pradaeng Pier, but only two-wheeled vehicles can make use of those leaving from Phra Pradaeng boat crossing Pier – Rama 3.
Our mapping platform stores this information and considers it when plotting the best path for delivery partners to take.
Personalised maps for locals by locals
The optimised custom maps directly benefit not only our driver-partners, but also our consumers, who face various issues in their daily commute.
Trying to secure a booking on any of Malaysia’s extensive intercity bus routes can be frustrating because there are so many different services to consider. But through the Grab Intercity feature, commuters can say goodbye to that frustration and confidently book bus tickets by letting you check timetables, review prices and reserve your seat, all from within the Grab app.
Throughout every city, town and village in which we operate, we use and build on extensive local knowledge to develop tailored maps that benefit the millions of partners, merchants and consumers who rely on us day after day.
From toll fee changes to road closures, our systems capture and process new information every day, keeping our hyper-localised and personalised maps updated and allowing GrabMaps to remain relevant for the locals who rely on it.
We build maps by understanding nuances between each country in our region
At Grab, we respect differences, learn from locals and never take a one-size-fits-all approach when planning new services.
But while hyper-localising the experience, we make moving throughout the region seamless by ensuring the Grab app experience is familiar everywhere.
Whether you need a GrabTrike in Pampanga, a GrabRemorque in Phnom Penh or a GrabShuttle in Yangon, you’ll benefit from our dedicated driver-partners and the superior GrabMaps technology that underpins our service.
References
https://blogs.adb.org/blog/asia-s-cities-need-quality-public-transport
https://www.statista.com/statistics/978944/indonesia-number-of-motorcycles-use/
https://www.statista.com/statistics/978871/indonesia-number-of-cars-use/
https://worldpopulationreview.com/continents/cities/asia
