Passengers tired of chatty cabbies and PHV drivers cheer Grab’s new ‘Quiet Ride’ option

SINGAPORE — After Grab announced on Tuesday (Feb 14) that it is now offering rides where you don’t have to talk to—nor even listen to—your driver, netizens cheered.

“You asked for a bit of quiet, we heard you loud and clear. Quiet Ride is now available in Singapore! You can now opt in to conversation-free rides on your Grab app. To do so, tap the “…” button before booking your ride, and toggle on ‘Quiet Ride’. Try it now!” wrote Grab in a social media post.

It was accompanied by a photo of a woman with her hand over her mouth, a clever take on the hit films “A Quiet Place” and “A Quiet Place Part II” where people needed to stay silent in order to survive.

Netizens, by and large, greeted the new option with a big cheer.

“I like this option. Some drivers can talk non-stop throughout. Quite irritating at times,” wrote one.

Meanwhile, a differently-abled woman also expressed appreciation for the “Quiet Ride” possibility.

“Thank you for this! I’m autistic with severe anxiety. Going out is already a huge challenge for me. This will make my commutes easier and less stressful.”

Another commenter joked, “They shld give this option to the drivers too if they need some peace and quiet.”

One netizen also joked, “For passengers who talk a lot, maybe can add option to select topics so that driver can be well-informed…eg: Current affairs, sports, etc.”

This led yet another commenter to add that a “caraoke” could also be an option.

One woman expressed concern that while the “quiet ride” may be free now, it may end up being more expensive later.

“Now it’s “Quiet ride – Free”. Gives me the creepy feeling that someday they’ll put a price on it,” she wrote.

On Grab’s site, the process of ordering this type of ride is explained further.

Of course, no ride is ever completely silent.

“During a Quiet Ride, we do our best to inform driver-partners of your preference for minimal conversation. No ride will ever be conversation-free, as some essential communication still needs to happen, such as confirming your name and trip details, asking urgent questions, and saying hello, goodbye, or having a great day!” /TISG

Looks like Pei Ling will Grab her chance