Grab to pilot motorbike-hailing service in Malaysia

Ride-hailing giant Grab has launched a pilot program for a motorbike-hailing service in Malaysia, coming closely after rival Gojek received approval to start limited operations in the country early next year.

Photo credit: Grab

In a blog post recruiting partner-drivers for the service, the Singapore-based company said that its GrabBike pilot will be limited to Klang Valley and will include food delivery. It is accepting registrations until December 2, 2019. Grab currently operates the GrabBike service in Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

The ride-hailing giant is also testing GrabMart, an on-demand delivery service for groceries, medicine, and other everyday goods, in Klang Valley.

The company said that the beta launch of GrabBike in the country falls in line with the government’s efforts to allow bike-hailing players to operate on a limited scale for six months starting January 2020.

Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook previously said that Gojek is one of the companies set to operate in the country based on a proof-of-concept basis to gauge demand for its services. The announcement came shortly after the Indonesian unicorn revealed upcoming plans for its business, which included entering Malaysia and the Philippines next year.

Grab is currently the dominant player in both markets after it acquired US-based Uber’s operations in Southeast Asia last year.

Grab is backed by companies such as SoftBank, Toyota, Hyundai, Booking.com, and Microsoft. One of the latest companies to invest in Grab is global information services firm Experian, which poured in an undisclosed sum in the ride-hailer’s ongoing series H funding round in July.