Did you know that Uber, my go-to taxi service, is banned in 8 places, and counting, around the world?
Uber is certainly one of the world’s most successful tech firms. And, the service is affordable and convenient. I love using the credit card to prepay…no haggling and no cash exchanging hands.
Unfortunately, after a great success, various governments, city councils, and even regular users have started questioning the company’s ethics, legality, and social cost. Due to issues around safety and driver registration, a lack of corporate responsibility, and bad press surrounding the behavior of its founder Travis Kalanick, the company has faced bans around the world.
Here is a list of eight places where you’ll have to make do without the ease of Uber.
Denmark
Northern Territory, Australia
Hungary
Bulgaria
China
Partially Banned: France, Italy, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands
Potentially Banned: London
It’s exiting Southeast Asia
Say, “Hello” to GRAB! Well, I learned about GRAB in Thailand. So, say “สวัสดี” or S̄wạs̄dī OR sawasdee (sounds like: "sah-wah-dee").
Now, GRAB is in Southeast Asia. It is a ride-hailing platform that offers booking service for taxis, private cars, and motorbikes through a mobile app.
Formerly Known as GrabTaxi, Grab is Southeast Asia’s leading ride-hailing platform. The company has solved critical transportation challenges and made transport freedom a reality for 620 million people in Southeast Asia.
Grab offers a wide range of services through one mobile app. Grab has been driving Southeast Asia forward since 2012, when we first set out to transform the taxi industry. Fast forward four years, Grab is making transport freedom a reality for the 620 million people in this region we call home. From simple taxi services to now private car services (GrabCar), motorcycle taxis (GrabBike), and last mile delivery (GrabExpress).
Get a safe and reliable ride in minutes with Grab transportation booking service (formerly GrabTaxi / MyTeksi) . With the largest pool of drivers in Southeast Asia, Grab offers the fastest transport booking service for taxis, private cars and motorbikes.
Grab connects their driver community to all level of transportation needs and price points:
GrabTaxi: Book a budget or premium taxi from Southeast Asia’s largest network of drivers.
GrabCar: Ride in comfort of a private car service and pay a fixed fare for your ride.
GrabBike: Get around quickest way possible, as a bike passenger.
GrabHitch: Hitch a ride or give someone a lift with our social carpooling community.
GrabShare: Carpool with another party heading in the same direction and save up to 30% less on fares.
JustGrab: Get the nearest vehicle, either a taxi or car, so you can be on your way faster!
GrabFamily: Enjoy peace of mind, with a child friendly booster seat for your youngest travellers.
GrabExpress: Send your parcels and documents with a delivery service you can trust.
Grab invests heavily in safety training for drivers, offline driver screenings, in-app safety features like number masking, personal accident insurance coverage, and safety education and partnerships with the government.
Pay by cash, credit card or GrabPay Credits - the choice is yours. You’ll get an email receipt immediately after your ride.
How to Grab:
1. Download the app for free and register your account
2. Start booking! The app auto-detects your location for pick-up. Choose your destination.
3. Choose what kind of transportation you need - taxi, private cars or motorbikes.
4. Confirm a driver and track them as they make their way to you.
Finally: Use the same Grab app to book rides in all 7 countries: Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and Myanmar.
My recommendation: Be prepared. Grab GRAB.