URA inks MOU with Grab to study commuting patterns

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URA inks MOU with Grab to study commuting patterns

Published: 28 August 2018

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Grab have inked an agreement to jointly study travel patterns of commuters in Singapore.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will involve a one-year joint analysis of land use and mobility data.

With the increasing popularity and usage of ride-hailing apps to book private-hire cars and taxis, the collaboration will allow the collation and study of data to enhance URA’s understanding of commuting patterns and behaviours to improve public transport efficiency in Singapore holistically.

The joint study between URA and Grab seeks to obtain better insights on the types and time of journeys as well as travel patterns of local commuters who utilise ride-hailing services.

These insights will potentially be useful in the planning of land use and infrastructure to improve travel time and convenience for commuters, and eventually, of a more car-lite Singapore.

The data utilised by both parties is anonymised and aggregated. All personal details are removed from the data prior to analysis.

Lim Kell Jay, Head of Grab Singapore said: "As a Singapore-headquartered company, Grab is committed to help make Singapore a great place to live, visit, work and play. As the city becomes more connected, it is important that Singapore also becomes more sustainable and liveable, and data science will be key in helping us achieve that. By working with URA to combine data from both the private and public sector, we hope to improve the efficiency of Singapore's transport network and better support the nation’s urban planning efforts."

Said Han Yong Hoe, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, URA: “Collaborations with partners with data-rich operations, such as Grab, help us get a more comprehensive understanding of the ground and deeper insights into current and future scenarios. With more information, we can better identify gaps, offer data-driven solutions and improve planning outcomes for the public. An accurate understanding of the ground also ensures that we continue to be responsive to the changing needs of the city.”