Grab launches new safety course for delivery riders to navigate work demands & risks

Grab has launched a new safety programme designed specifically for food delivery riders, developed together with the Riding Safety Association of Singapore (RSAS) and the National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA).

GrabAcademy RideSafe 2026 was launched on Aug. 12, which was officiated by Minister of State for Manpower and for Culture, Community and Youth Dinesh Vasu Dash.

A course built around delivery work

At the centre of the programme is the Advanced Riding Development Programme (ARDP): Urban Rider Safety Course, co-developed by GrabAcademy and RSAS.

The two-hour course covers defensive riding techniques, hazard awareness and risk anticipation, motorcycle handling and low-speed control, and emergency braking and vehicle stability while carrying delivery loads.

Riders complete the practical exercises using their own delivery bags, so instructors can coach them under conditions closer to their actual work.

Grab said that while all licensed motorcyclists learn the fundamentals of safe riding, delivery riders operate in a different environment from most road users. They carry loaded bags, make frequent stops, and squeeze through tight spaces.

4 fatalities in the first half of this year

Speaking at the launch, Dinesh said there were four fatalities involving platform workers in the first half of 2026, compared to two for the whole of 2025.

Dinesh said the government's approach rests on three things: putting the right protections in place, giving clearer guidance, and bringing the right partners together.

He also noted that since Jan. 1, 2025, the Platform Workers Act has brought platform workers under work injury compensation coverage and introduced workplace safety and health duties for both operators and workers.

The Ministry of Manpower and the Workplace Safety and Health Council have also issued an approved code of practice for platform services, covering road risks, fatigue and heat.

A platform worker safety group has been set up, bringing together government agencies, platform operators and platform work associations.

Customers have a part to play too

Dinesh also had a message for the people ordering the food.

He said that during heavy rain, extreme heat or difficult traffic conditions, giving riders a few more minutes can make a real difference.

He said: "A short wait is a small price to pay when it helps someone avoid taking unnecessary risks on the road."

He added: "A strong safety culture can only be built when people do the right thing, when no one is watching, and when all of us care enough to look out for one another."

Riders need judgement, not just rules

Yeo Wan Ling, adviser to NDCA and assistant secretary-general of NTUC, said workplace safety numbers show riders continue to face real risks at work.

She said: "Knowing the traffic rules is important, but delivery riders need the skills and judgement to respond safely when traffic closes in, the road turns slippery, or a heavy bag shifts unexpectedly."

She also urged other platform operators to make safety training a regular part of the job.

Grab's other safety measures

Grab said delivery partners are not penalised for taking longer to complete deliveries, and that during heavy rain it proactively tells customers to expect longer waits.

It also uses telematics to give riders feedback on behaviours such as hard braking and speeding, and in-app fatigue prompts encouraging them to take breaks.

GrabAcademy has been working with training partners since 2020 to give delivery partners road safety knowledge and riding skills, covering motorcycles, bicycles and power-assisted bicycles.

RSAS will run the new course and handle registration and payment.