On Nov. 23, ride-hailing company Grab announced that its innovation arm, Grab Ventures, was currently collaborating with the National University of Singapore (NUS) to introduce an e-scooter sharing service on the NUS Kent Ridge campus.

Three-month trial

Known as GrabWheels, the new e-scooter sharing service has commenced a three-month trial period from Nov. 19, 2018.

This trial is also the first time that the new e-scooter sharing app is being tested in Singapore.

Grab added that thus far, e-scooters have been deployed across eight parking lots on campus, with the number of parking lots expected to increase to 30 by the end of December 2018.

According to The Straits Times (ST), each parking station is expected to accommodate up to around 10 e-scooters.

How the service works

• Download the GrabWheels Beta app and link it to the main Grab App.
• Proceed to the nearest e-scooter parking lot and unlock one vehicles the GrabWheels Beta app.
• Upon reaching their destination, riders will be directed by the GrabWheels Beta app towards the nearest e-scooter parking lot.
• End the trip by scanning a specific QR code to lock the e-scooter. 

Currently, the cost of usage for the trial period is S$0.20 for every 30 minutes of use and can be paid via GrabPay.

GrabRewards available

With regard to GrabRewards, Grab added that for every dollar spent, the rider will receive five times the amount in GrabRewards Points. All rides will also include insurance coverage, at no additional cost to users.

Every evening will also see Grab's operations team collect all of the e-scooters for recharging, whereupon the e-scooters will then be returned to the parking lots for use the next day.

Grab further stated that it will also educate riders on riding safely through campus by way of in-app messages.

There will also be a support team on standby round the clock, to assist users should they encounter any issue during the trial period.

Why implement the service?

According to Professor Yong Kwet Yew, NUS Senior Vice President (Campus Infrastructure), implementation of the service is part of the university's aim in providing "green transportations options" in order to achieve sustainable campus development.

The service's implementation is also expected to present research opportunities on urban transportation.

In Yong's words:

"This partnership with Grab not only provides a last-mile transportation option for NUS students and staff, but it also offers interesting research opportunities to develop innovative mobility solutions that could shape the future of urban transportation.”

Aiming to launch service across Asia

For its part, Grab has stated that it sees e-scooter sharing as a future means of fulfilling short-distance travelling.

Accordingly, the trial is expected to help Grab and NUS in studying the patterns of how commuters utilise e-scooters and how e-scooters can address transportation needs on campus.

ST also further reported that while only NUS staff and students may use the e-scooters within the campus for now, the aim of Grab is to eventually launch the service across Southeast Asia.

You can watch a video of the initiative here:

&v=AZORSGFLTyw

Top photo from National University of Singapore

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