Grab wins again
If you don’t know what Grab is it is basically the same thing as UBER, but completely dominates the taxi app market in South-East Asia. In Thailand anyway, Grab bought out UBER as far as I know.
Today I had to travel to Malaysia, a country I would prefer to avoid, in order to obtain a Thai visa (this process is complicated and will be covered in another entry but you have to leave Thailand to get a visa.) Anyway, I am very leery of using taxis in Kuala Lumper, Malaysia because I have plenty of experience in this country and it is absolutely inundated with taxi scams.
I know this is a global thing, it happens in my home country as well, it is just so much more evident to me over here because there seems to be very little recourse once one gets conned. Drivers refuse to use the meter, the meter has been tampered with, they intentionally take a longer route when using the meter, they fabricate toll prices if you aren’t paying attention etc. It’s a pain.
Grab to the rescue
Grab, like Uber, determines a fair price for your destination and there is no negotiating available to either party. I have no idea how the rate is determined but it is almost always cheaper than what you would be quoted by a random taxi driver or even worse, the overpriced taxi counters at most airports. Case in point: My experience just a few hours ago.
I used the same destination (my hotel) at each of these avenues.
I went to the taxi counter and was quoted 140 RM (Malaysian Ringit)
I found a black taxi (probably unlicensed, just a freelance dude,) was at first quoted 200 RM, laughed and walked away, he pursued and eventually offered me 120 RM. I said I would shop around.
I found a meter taxi outside that said the meter charges 2RM per kilometer – which if you try to compare this to a Western country is actually a very reasonable rate, it is a massive rip off in SEA.
The express train to the center of town is 55 RM and then you still have to get a taxi from there, this would likely end up being a value compared to the others as it was estimated at 85 RM total.
So I fired up the Grab app and within 1 minute found a dozen drivers who were kept honest by the app and received the same trip for 65 RM
I can’t tell you how massively helpful this tool is when traveling in this part of the world. A local would never be charged these rates because they “know the score” and also know where they are going. I do NOT know. I am using google maps and AirBnB receipts. I am a prime target for getting ripped off even though I have lived over here for over a decade. It is a rather massive part of the overall culture to rip off people with taxis.
My Grab driver was polite, was punctual, his car was super clean, and he took me straight to my hotel because there is absolutely no incentive for him to take “the long way” since the rate was determined before he ever agreed to pick me up.
It seriously is wonderful. If you find yourself in any of the countries over here honestly, you gotta download this app because it is going to save you so much money and headache.