Industry players have received more inquiries and activated more new registrations for e-hailing drivers since implementation of MCO

by NUR HANANI AZMAN/ pic by BLOOMBERG

DEMAND for e-hailing service is gradually increasing since the implementation of Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) on May 4 with delivery service remains the top gainer.

There has also been a surge of inquiries with regard to e-hailing jobs due to retrenchment as a result of MCO.

Grab Malaysia MD Sean Goh said the demand for delivery services continues to rise and have since grown by more than 30% compared to the week before the MCO.

“Almost 25% of food deliveries are completed by GrabCar drivers and there were also 40% more merchants across our platform com- pared to our previous monthly average,” he told The Malaysian Reserve (TMR).

“Today, we have activated more than 100,000 drivers as delivery partners to provide them with an additional source of income while providing reliability to support our food, mart and express services.

Following the enforcement of CMCO, taxis and e-hailing vehicles are not allowed to carry more than two passengers per journey. Recognising the tough times, Grab Malaysia is focused on helping these drivers and delivery partners to safeguard their livelihoods as they continue to serve the customers.

“We are proactively adapting our business to this new reality and helping our partners while the focus remains on protecting the wellbeing and livelihoods of those on our platform, and serving the needs of the community.

“Our strategy is clear: Provide our drivers and delivery partners as well as our merchants with a firm support but at the same time fight to keep them safe, on the platform and against the invisible enemy,” he added.

Meanwhile, a new e-hailing company in the market, MYGO, said there has been a huge number of inquiries for drivers’ registration since the MCO began in March.

MYGO COO S Muraliraj said since March 18, up to 60 new drivers are registered each week.

“We had a very exciting time before the implementation of MCO with 5,000 drivers having registered under MYGO over the past one year.

“However, most of them are affected since the MCO due to fewer passengers and the drivers also are cautious to go out,” he told TMR.

“To encounter the loss, MYGO will launch their food delivery service, MYGOmealz, between June and early July this year to tap into growing consumer demand in the sector.

“I am not sure how Covid-19 pandemic will shape the future but I believe we have to be more creative and flexible to fill a growing demand,” he said.