Why is everyone suddenly missing Uber? Ever since Grab took over its rival Uber’s Southeast Asia operations, the ride-hailing platform has raised a lot of flak from consumers for its fare hike due to lack of competition, despite failing to provide a sufficient amount of drivers.
The usual amount of time one has to wait for a car to arrive at the pick-up point is 10-15 minutes (on non-peak hours), which is way longer than the previous 3-7 minutes waiting period. If you’re lucky, the driver won’t suddenly cancel your ride or leave you behind because 1) he went to the wrong building and asks you to walk over because he’s not familiar with the place 2) but, as soon as you reach to the point, he calls to say that he has left because he waited for too long. #TrueStory
With that said, for those of you who have encountered similar problems, check out these car sharing service alternatives that might be able to solve your dilemmas:
1. MyCar
This is probably the next best ride-hailing facility in Malaysia, as the application is clearly modelled similar to Uber and Grab — in which users can track where their drivers are, message them while they are en-route and can choose to pay using either cash or card. The good thing about this app is that it offers a fixed fare price, as well as no surcharge for traffic.
2. Ryde
Singapore’s first carpooling app, Ryde, has arrived in Malaysia. As for now, only RydePool and RydePet are available in this country. RydePet is a service which allows users to travel with their beloved pets — while RydePool is strictly for human riders which is two times cheaper, as it uses GPS algorithm to determine the contribution based on distance so you will know the exact amount before the match. At the end of the ride, riders contribute cash directly to drivers to split the cost of the trip.
3. EzCab
EzCab offers transport booking service for taxis, private cars, executive and luxury MPV. The app allows users to book vehicles using a fixed fare or metered taxi fare booking, anywhere within its main coverage areas in Klang Valley, Penang, Perak, Seremban, Johor, Melaka and Sabah. What’s more, since danger is something you can never predict, the app is also equipped with an in-app SOS button which will immediately alert the police.
4. MULA
MULA, Malaysia’s most comprehensive e-hailing and parcel delivery platform has advocated driver and passenger safety through the app’s advance features such as SOS, ladies only MULA Pink function and proper registration processes. On the other hand, drivers have to go through stringent background checks to ensure a safe environment.
5. DACSEE
This is the first social/ride-sharing platform that allows users to create or join various Social Community Groups and get connected with people that share similar interests. Instead of a mundane ride, communities are able to develop networks, friendships, and even exchange knowledge and experiences in this platform. In addition, DACSEE is also a cryptocurrency centric ride-hailing service which accepts e-coin as payment.
6. Riding Pink (Female Only)
Malaysia’s first women only transportation platform. As it stands now, Riding Pink has only launched their mobile app on Android (still pretty buggy at the moment), but their service can also be manually booked on the website. You can choose to pre-book your ride or even schedule recurring rides. The database of registered drivers consist of stay-at-home mothers, single moms, and working adults seeking extra income, which fits with the brand’s female empowerment theme.
