SINGAPORE: Some Grab customers in Singapore were taken aback on Wednesday (Aug 20) after the ride-hailing mobile app briefly displayed fares that exceeded S$1,000 due to a glitch.
The unusually high fares, even for short trips within the country, were visible for about 20 minutes from around noon.
In response to queries, a Grab spokesperson said the price spike was the result of a temporary display error.
“We encountered a temporary system issue that led to abnormally high prices being wrongly displayed in our app,” the company said in a statement.
“The issue has been resolved, and the app is now functioning as usual. We deeply regret the inconvenience caused.”
Bloomberg reported that users in neighbouring Malaysia also experienced similar pricing anomalies.
Several users took to social media to share screenshots of the drastic jump in fares.
Among them was Facebook user Tan Kwee Yong, who wrote: “I never knew (travelling) from my military camp to another military camp (would) cost a quarter of my pay.” His fare was listed as $1,511.80.
In another screenshot, the cost of a ride from Tampines to Kinex mall in Katong was listed as $1,012.
One user commented: “I wonder if anyone checked the fare or simply clicked on book.”
Grab’s system is designed such that bookings with unusually high fares would not have typically gone through.
However, the company is in the midst of doing checks, and those who were charged the high fares would be compensated.
Grab, which is backed by US-based Uber Technologies, is the dominant ride-hailing operator in Singapore, as well as other markets in the region, including Malaysia and Thailand.
Uber exited South-East Asia in 2018, transferring its operations to Grab in exchange for a stake in the company. Grab now faces stiff competition from Indonesia’s GoTo Group and several smaller rivals in the region. - The Straits Times/ANN
