Grab announced the launch of GrabAssist Plus, a dedicated fleet of wheelchair accessible vehicles. It empowers non-critical wheelchair and Personal Mobility Aids (PMAs) users to travel to selected healthcare institutions seamlessly, without having to dismount from their wheelchairs throughout the journey.

GrabAssist Plus offers mobility solutions for an underserved market of wheelchair users, who are seeking more accessible transport options, to and from their homes, as well as from elder care centres to hospitals. Collaborating with fleet partners such as SMRT Taxis, the service will begin as a trial with approximately 10 vehicles, and will go live on 8 February 2021. It will be available for passengers with mobility challenges to travel to and from select healthcare institutions in the initial stages, including Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s Foot Care & Limb Design Centre and its Centre for Geriatric Medicine, as well as Singapore General Hospital’s Diabetes and Metabolism Centre.

All driver-partners under the programme will be trained by certified care services providers to provide assistance to passengers. This new service complements the existing GrabAssist offering, which has seen more than 50,000 completed trips. Unlike GrabAssist Plus, GrabAssist passengers have to dismount from their wheelchairs or PMAs during rides, which are folded and stored away within the vehicle.

“Grab is always adapting to market demand and taking in users’ feedback as we introduce new or enhance existing transport services on our platform. We have also taken active steps to ensure that our platform is inclusive and that our technology can be leveraged to help underserved groups in our community,” said Yee Wee Tang, Managing Director, Grab Singapore. “We have seen positive traction for our GrabAssist service, but understand that there are still challenges that passengers on PMAs or wheelchairs face, especially when they are travelling independently. By working with TTSH and SGH on this pilot programme, we hope to address some of these challenges to offer better and more accessible on-demand options for them. Our collaboration with TTSH and SGH had begun with the GrabCare initiative for healthcare workers and we are proud to expand our partnership to bring about greater mobility for the broader community.”

“Personal Mobility Aids empower segments of our society who are aged, frail or suffering from a disability. We work with like-minded organisations to ensure that accessibility to care and a patient’s journey is not just confined within the hospital but designed to address their challenges in the community. This new service will offer options for our patients with mobility challenges to be more empowered and independent when travelling to and from their hospital appointments”, said Khalid Anuar, Head of Foot Care & Limb Design Centre, Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

How to book GrabAssist Plus

Users can load the Grab app, and select GrabAssist Plus to book their rides. Rides start from $32.

Appendix – 1. Fare Table

Appendix – 2. Table of Surcharges