As the debate between taxi companies and private-hire car operators rages on, it has become increasingly apparent that the ones with least reason to complain are commuters like you and I.

After all, why should we when heightened competition has inspired interesting new apps and features that we could only dream of previously?

For example, Grab has launched a “Flash” feature on its popular booking app, giving as its name implies, faster access to a pool of both taxis and private-hire vehicles at the touch of a single button. Its competitors in the meantime have come up with new services such as ride-sharing and added in-app functionalities.

Here’s our quick and handy guide to how commuters can make the most out of these innovative new services and features:

1. Flash - More vehicles than any other booking app in Singapore. Because taxis + private cars

How it works: Traditionally, Grab has allowed users to book either taxis or private-hire vehicles, just like other booking apps.

But the company probably realised some commuters may not care if it’s a taxi or private car so long as they can get a ride when they desperately need one - like in the current rainy season.

Enter “Flash”. It enables users to book a ride from Grab’s combined network of both taxis and private-hire vehicles, at the touch of a single button. Just look for the round button with 2 blue cars in it, or spot the lightning flash symbol within the Grab app if you wish to put your eyesight to the test.

What’s more, it’s no more expensive than making a regular taxi or GrabCar booking. The estimated and fixed fares are displayed upfront so you know what you’ll be paying before confirming a booking.

Unique Selling Point (USP): Pooling both taxis and private-hire vehicles to grant commuters access to more than 30,000 vehicles, reportedly the largest fleet in town (i.e. much higher chance of securing a successful booking).

Most useful when: It’s rush hour or raining like mad, you’re in a hurry and need a ride ASAP. Or, if you’re stuck in an “ulu” location (we’re looking at you Tuas South), Grab’s largest fleet offers the highest chance of getting a ride, so you don’t end up having to call in a QX or hiking your way back to civilisation.

2. uberPOOL - Share your ride with strangers for a lower fare

How it works: Select uberPOOL when booking an Uber ride and the system will attempt to match you with another passenger heading in the same direction. Essentially, you and that passenger will share the ride and you can expect the fare to be lower.

USP: Slightly lower fares.

Most useful when: You’re not in a hurry or don’t mind sharing the vehicle space with strangers.

Incidentally, Grab was in the market first with a ridesharing service called GrabHitch, which takes a different approach in that it matches private car owners with passengers on their daily commute. Helping drivers defray their car ownership costs (petrol and parking), and helping passengers looking for a cheap and social experience. A must-try for both drivers and passengers!

3. Add Favourite Journeys - One-touch retrieval FTW

How it works: Similar to the “save favourite location” features found in other apps, but you get to save the entire route (both start and end points). From within the booking app, select “Add Favourite Journey”. Enter the pick-up and destination locations, then save the entry. When you want to book a taxi, simply select your desired journey (which should now appear under the “Favourites” tab).

USP: Ability to save entire journeys (start and end points) for one-touch retrieval, as opposed to just single locations.

Most useful when: You’re too lazy to type (#firstworldproblems), bad at remembering addresses (#findingdory) or just want to plan journeys in advance (#habitsofsuccessfulpeople).

Know of more interesting transport app features out there? Let us know.

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Top photo from Grab.

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