Promoting safer driving seems like a no brainer, but the task is more daunting than it seems. Anytime there’s a seminar, it seems like a one-and-done approach as very few follow up with their participants. I’m not sure if Grab Philippines realized this as well, but they’re doing something more progressive in their approach with safer driving.
Drive Safe: Takbong Pogi, Safe Palagi is Grab Philippines’ webinar series for their driver partners that focuses on vehicle maintenance tips, road safety guidelines, and even driver well-being. I was among the few that was invited to experience one session of this program and I must say it’s a great crash course for the basic errors in driving. Among the topics discussed were the basic checkpoints of a car, lane markings, and the 3 second rule on highway driving.
They’ve also refreshed the drivers for the basic etiquette in passenger communication. This involves what to do, pre-, during, and post-booking that will also help them maintain a 5-star rating. Harassment was also discussed that including sexual harassment. The forms and ways they are done were also explored so that drivers are aware that even ‘jokes’ are counted as harassment.
Grab Philippines also partners up with different institutions with road experience in order to educate the drivers on specific situations. In the session I attended, Engr. Ron Escaler from CEMEX Holdings Philippines was there to share some crucial aspects of driving when near a truck, especially its blind spots. This was a great session that explains why certain accidents turned out that way, and why we need to be more cautious when driving near long trucks.
The webinar series happens quarterly and so far has been attended to by 1,000 driver and rider partners. It’s available simultaneously as an in-person session and a Zoom meeting.
“Road safety is more than just abiding by traffic regulations as it is a multi-dimensional commitment that requires a 360-degree approach. At Grab, we embrace a holistic safety ethos by introducing industry-first safety features within our app; and equipping our driver-partners with the skills needed to offer safe rides, which cover not only the technical aspects of driving but also the expected decorum when ferrying our passengers to their intended destination,” shared CJ Lacsican, Head of Operations for Grab Philippines.
They also reminded drivers of the new Grab Academy. It’s an in-app learning platform for all driver, merchant, and rider partners that contains modules on road safety, vehicle sanitation, data protection, entrepreneurship, computer basics, and digital content. There are also refresher courses on service quality standards and platform guidelines.