Grab Philippines is doubling down on its safety and hygiene standards to minimize risks of the spread of COVID-19 for its mobility service - GrabCar by introducing GrabProtect - a robust set of initiatives and features that includes an online health and hygiene checklist, a mask selfie verification tool, safety and hygiene certification, hygiene kits, mandatory deep disinfection of vehicles.
“Safety has always been at the core of what we do at Grab and while we understand that the public health situation remains to be fluid and ever-changing, we will continue to introduce innovations and policies that would protect and support the lives and livelihoods of every Filipino. We have made significant strides on safety and we will not shy away from making more meaningful contributions to put our passengers, and driver-partners at ease as we move towards the New Reality,” says Grab Philippines President Brian Cu.
To support the regulations set by the government, individuals who belong to any these classifications are highly encouraged to stay at home and not to use any public transportation:
- Individuals below the age of 21, and those 60 years old and above (unless they will need to purchase essential items, or classified as workers belonging to operating industries) ;
- Individuals who are infected with COVID-19
- Individuals who are immune-deficient;
- Individuals who are mandated to remain in-residence; and
- Individuals who are pregnant
Implementing GrabProtect to further raise Grab’s existing standards on platform safety and hygiene
1. Checking that you’re well enough to head out
Grab driver- and delivery-partners have been submitting daily health declarations confirming they are well before starting their day with Grab. By the end of June, the Grab app will prompt passengers, drivers, and delivery-partners to complete the online health and hygiene checklist, confirming they do not exhibit any COVID-19 symptoms and have adopted the necessary safety and hygiene measures before they make a booking or start driving.
Drivers and passengers are strongly encouraged to submit feedback through Grab’s in-app Help Centre should either party appear unwell. Individuals who have received more than one report about exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms will be advised to see a doctor and will have their Grab accounts temporarily put on hold until they receive medical clearance.
2. Protecting each other by masking up
Grab driver- and delivery-partners are required to wear a mask whenever they are on the Grab platform. The same policy will apply to passengers in countries where masking-up is compulsory in public spaces. Both drivers and passengers can cancel the booking without penalty before the ride commences, by selecting “driver/passenger did not wear a mask” as their cancellation reason, should either party show up without a mask on. Grab will investigate accounts that have received such feedback multiple times.
Grab’s new “mask selfie verification feature” will help verify that drivers and delivery-partners are wearing a mask before they start receiving bookings and orders.
3. Keeping your surroundings clean for the next person
Grab drivers and delivery-partners are encouraged to carry hand sanitizer and disinfectant sprays with them at all times so that they can keep surfaces and hands clean after every booking. Grab has distributed over 4,000 bottles of hand sanitizers and disinfectant to its partners over the last few months.
4. Safety and Hygiene Certification for all driver-partners
Grab has instituted and mandated a rigorous safety and hygiene certification for all driver-partners who wish to ply the roads. In this training session, driver-partners are briefed on the mandatory temperature check, the existing government policies and public health safety standards, how to maintain sanitation and cleanliness in their vehicles, as well as implementing the contactless ride protocol.
After completing the Safety and Hygiene Certification, drivers will be provided with hygiene kits which are partially subsidized by Grab. Each hygiene kit will include a cloth face mask, surface disinfectant, and the non-permeable acetate barrier that they would need to install in their own vehicles.
5. Mandatory Deep Disinfection
On top of drivers disinfecting their vehicles after every trip, Grab will also require deep-disinfection of all the vehicles every other day. This will be done in partnership with select sanitation hubs who have deep-disinfection capability. Once cleaned, driver-partners are required to allow for the chemicals to dissipate prior to boarding any passenger. This layer of sanitation will ensure that all vehicles are safe and hygienic for public use.
6. Looking out for each other, by keeping everyone in check
Maintaining the safety and well-being of everyone in the platform is the utmost importance for Grab, which is why we encourage everyone to look out for each other and keep everyone in check. Grab will institute a feedback mechanism that would allow for both drivers and passengers to report to our Help Center, any incidents or violations which are counter to the safety and hygiene protocols.
