Grab tests feature giving passengers one-hour window to lock in fares for certain routes
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Price Lock was introduced on Feb 12 and applies to standard JustGrab fixed-fare rides on selected routes, available between 9am and 9pm.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
- Grab launched Price Lock, a beta feature, on Feb 12, allowing passengers to fix JustGrab fares on selected routes and hours, avoiding surge pricing.
- Users buy a pass for $5.99 to lock in fares for a route, saving up to $30. It expires after 30 days or once users hit the cap.
- Locked-in fares are valid for a chosen one-hour window, but adding stops or changing destinations invalidates them. Lyft in the US offers a comparable service.
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SINGAPORE – Ride-hailing operator Grab is testing a new feature that allows passengers to lock in their fares for a specific route during a one-hour window and potentially avoid surge pricing.
Introduced on Feb 12, Price Lock applies to standard JustGrab fixed-fare rides on selected routes and is available between 9am and 9pm.
Currently, passengers can use the feature for journeys that either start or end in some parts of the Downtown Core, comprising the Central Business District and Outram, as well as in one-north.
To use Price Lock, passengers have to buy a pass through the app for their chosen route, and select a one-hour window that is fixed until the pass expires.
The app will then set a fixed fare for that duration, based on historical data, demand and seasonal patterns, according to the webpage available to beta testers and seen by The Straits Times.
“This ensures your locked price remains fair and reflective of the specific route and time,” it said.
However, driver fares will not be affected, said a Grab spokeswoman.
“Drivers will be paid the real-time driver fare based on factors such as trip distance and market conditions.”
This is in line with how Grab handles passenger discounts and promotions, she said, adding that these are funded by Grab.
If the fare for a ride is lower than the locked price, the passenger will pay the lower amount.
However, if the fare for a ride is higher, the passenger will pay the locked price, with the difference counting towards a price savings cap.
Until Feb 28, the pass costs $2.99 and savings are capped at $35.
After that, the price is $5.99, with savings capped at $30.
The pass will expire after a user reaches the price savings cap, or after 30 days, whichever comes first.
Additional costs such as Electronic Road Pricing fees are charged separately from the locked-in prices.
A passenger can have two active passes at any one time, the webpage said.
A demonstration showing how the Price Lock feature looks. This image is for illustration purposes only.
PHOTO: GRAB
There are several caveats.
For instance, adding a stop or changing the destination will invalidate a trip with a locked-in fare, and the final fare is calculated based on real-time conditions.
Passes are also non-refundable and cannot be cancelled, it said.
The Grab spokeswoman said the feature is now being tested in a “small-scale trial”, and feedback and data gathered from the trial will help the ride-hailing operator to further refine its offering and determine its next steps.
US-based ride-hailing platform Lyft had introduced a similar feature in September 2024.
Also called Price Lock, it charges users US$2.99 (S$3.80) a month with a savings cap of US$40.
Passengers also select a one-hour window in which they wish to lock in their fares, but are allowed up to 10 active passes at any given time.
