The invention and rise of e-hailing have definitely made the lives of people who don’t drive or live near public transportation much easier. Now we can go anywhere we want by just calling for a car through our smartphone. No more waiting for taxis or buses to pass by and hoping you can get to work or home on time.
The global market for e-hailing is expected to grow from USD85.8 billion in 2021 to USD185.1 billion by 2026. There is a lot more room to expand and grow, and this is what AirAsia is doing.
In a news report by Malay Mail, the company has expanded its e-hailing service to Sabah with roughly 350 drivers.
The e-hailing service is now only offered in Kota Kinabalu and Tawau, according to AirAsia Super App CEO Amanda Woo, but it is being expanded to other areas of the state, particularly popular tourist destinations.
Woo said they are aiming for tourist places because they are trying to attract tourists to use AirAsia Ride.
She added that currently there are 500 people who have signed up to become drivers, and they are being vetted, and the number of drivers is expected to increase to 500 next week, and slowly increase to 3,000 to 5,000 in the coming months.
In another related news, Lowyat.net reported that AirAsia will be offering full-time employment to its 53,000 drivers starting 1 October 2022.
The drivers can still choose to become a gig worker, or they can choose to become a full-time employee under AirAsia with salary, EPF, SOCSO, and benefits.
The drivers will get a baseline salary of RM3,500 per month, which includes fuel benefits. However, the company claims that, with incentives and based on performance, drivers might earn up to RM8,000 per month. Full-time drivers will be given preference for airport job assignments to increase their income. Additionally, they will receive annual leaves, medical coverage, and AirAsia ticket savings.
