Immaculate timing or merely coincidental?

With the disarray that Grab is in since the implementation of e-hailing regulations, many commuters have been finding it rather difficult to get a ride, be it to go home or head out. I was actually out on Saturday night and for the first time ever, was the earliest to arrive because my friends had opted to Grab.. and well, couldn’t get one. Being the earliest to arrive is no fun, mind you.

That being said, commuters everywhere can breathe a sigh of relief as Ryde, a Singapore based startup that launched in early 2015, is expanding its carpool services app to Malaysia. Originally launched as an alternative to existing transportation solutions, the app matches private-car drivers to commuters on a similar route, thus helping cut out road congestion, pollution and commuting costs. The app will be launching tomorrow at an event in Mont Kiara.

We’re not sure if this the timing of Ryde’s introduction into the Malaysian market is intentional or not, but it’s perfect, given the current climate of the e-hailing industry. Of course, it remains to be seen if Ryde can ride (ha-ha) the wave of discontentment with Grab here in Malaysia, but now’s a better time than any for them to grab (Oh God this is so bad) the opportunity to establish themselves.

It’s worth noting that Ryde IS NOT an e-hailing app but a carpooling app, so the comparison with Grab probably isn’t as fair as it first looked.

Stay tuned for more info about the app and how it works tomorrow.