3 Top Carpool Apps for Singaporeans

Nowadays, Singaporeans are becoming more and more receptive to the idea of carpooling. But through time, they became more acquainted with it. So today, 3 top carpool apps for Singaporeans are prominent in the country.

Various carpooling apps have been introduced on the island since 2015. As a result, a new regulation mandating carpool drivers to get paid was made. It serves as thumbs up from the government since making the country car-lite is still a goal to be reached.

At the end of 2015, registered cars reached a five-year low. It does not point to COE prices, but rather experts say that apps such as Uber and Grab may have created such an effect. From here, there is a rise in the number of rental cars.

What is Carpooling?

Carpooling is different from the original idea introduced by Uber and Grab. Instead of activating apps and getting a driver to pick them up to go to a specific destination, the carpool driver can share his or her car with others.

In a simple scenario, if a driver goes to work and wants to share the empty seats in the car, he can pick up riders along the way using an app.

Picking up riders on the road and in parking lots is strictly prohibited. However, the driver and riders can agree about pick-up locations and the time.

Carpooling is not for profit as drivers are only allowed to have two carpool trips a day. It is just like sharing the ride with friends and the costs, including the gas.

Advantages of Carpooling

Reduce Carbon Footprint

The government is now in an active fight against pollution to help global warming problems. If there are fewer cars on the road, less fuel will be used while a couple of people can arrive at places they need to go. The carbon emitted by vehicles may be reduced to 1/3 if three people use a car every day.

Split Ride Cost

Since the driver gets paid on the ride, there is no need to worry about shelling out cash for the gas. Also, the riders don’t have to pay the whole bill since they are sharing it with other riders. Another advantage when talking about costs is that there is no surcharge on carpooling.

Social Experience

People get to meet other people. We have to admit that Singaporeans are now getting busy with their jobs and other responsibilities that they start to be strangers even to their next-door neighbours. If you are an extrovert, then this experience can be fun for you and convenient. You can meet people with various interests. And you may get to share your ride with them every day.

Reduce Traffic Congestion

Congested traffic is no fun during rush hour. People waste their time stuck in the traffic while they could have been spending it with their family and loved ones. Also, some rides get more expensive whenever there’s high demand. There will be fewer cars on the road with carpool, easing the traffic situation.

Disadvantages of Carpool Apps

Sudden Appointment Changes Due to Errands

Carpooling is not all sunshine and rainbow. There are some disadvantages, such as sudden errands that must be done.

For example, the driver may have to go home earlier to pick up a child who suddenly got sick in school. It will cause the riders to use another mode of transportation to get home independently.

Another is if the rider has sudden work demands before the shift ends. Then, the driver will have to wait instead of going home after the day’s job.

Also, there is the possibility that people have driving ethics. The key here is clear communication between the riders and the driver.

Car Insurance Doesn’t Cover Accident Claim on Commercial Basis

Private vehicles may have insurance; however, it may not cover the damages if used the car commercially during the accident. Contact your insurance provider and inform them that you plan to use your car in carpooling. Also, you can ask them regarding the extent of your car insurance coverage.

Popular Top Carpool Apps in Singapore

Travelling around is more convenient if you try out these top carpool apps for Singaporeans. 

Ryde

Ryde is one of the most popular carpooling apps in the country. It uses a “proprietary algorithm” to calculate the price based on variable costs of petrol, depreciation, and maintenance.

While there is still a risk of certain assaults during carpooling, Ryde is insured to $1,000,000 against sexual assault claims and third-party liabilities. It means that they give insurance to those who had accidental death and permanent disablement three months after the incident during carpool. Just be sure that you are a verified member to get insured.

To keep the safety of the carpooling community, Ryde has a two-way review wherein drivers and riders can evaluate each other. Those with less than four stars will be suspended from the community for a month.

Swat Mobility

Swat Mobility offers flexible carpool services with shared buses. While it is convenient for individuals to book their rides anytime anywhere, this app also helps businesses book for their employees.

The employee transport is designed to pick employees close to their homes. This assures that they sit with their co-employees with social distancing.

Grab Hitch 

The app takes pride that it is not an on-demand commercial ride but rather a social ride-sharing app. Grab calculates the fares, which only covers the driver’s variable costs. Currently, Grab is negotiating for cross-border carpooling services to cater to those crossing the borders between Singapore and Malaysia. The authority does not allow the use of cars on the island not registered in LTA, and Malaysia has a similar regulation. Nevertheless, Grab Hitch started a test run and collected various reactions from people.

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