SHAH ALAM - E-hailing services undeniably transformed urban transportation by providing unmatched convenience and accessibility.
However, this convenience came with growing frustrations among passengers who were concerned about safety, unpredictable fare fluctuations, and uncomfortable experiences caused by inappropriate driver behaviour.
Despite the ease of booking a ride with just a tap on an app, the journey for many was far from seamless.
Passengers frequently faced a range of unsettling incidents, from rude attitudes to invasive questions that undermined their sense of security.
Syazana Mahmud, 24, shared her uncomfortable experience with an e-hailing service, which started as a normal ride but quickly took a troubling turn when the driver crossed professional boundaries.
"At first, it was a regular conversation, but then the driver asked if I had a partner, which made me feel uneasy," she told Sinar Daily when contacted recently.
Syazana tried to remain calm by giving the driver fake details, but he continued pressing her with personal questions about her boyfriend’s age, his job, and where he lived.
As if that wasn’t uncomfortable enough, the driver handed her his card at the end of the ride, asking her to find him a girlfriend.
"This is my private life, why do you need to know?
"It was awkward, but I just took the card and threw it away after," she recounted, reflecting on how unsettling the encounter had been.
Besides the inappropriate behaviour of drivers, Syazana also highlighted her frustrations with drivers frequently cancelling rides after lengthy waits.
"I had an experience where drivers cancelled three times in a row. It wasted my time.
"Imagine if I were going to work; I could’ve been fired!" she added.
Similarly, Aqilah Nordin, 22, recounted a ride that began with small talk but quickly escalated into inappropriate advances.
"The driver started asking if I liked going to Genting Highlands and began telling me stories about hotel GROs offering services," Aqilah said when met recently.
The conversation took a sinister turn when the driver suddenly invited her to Genting Highlands, attempting to divert the ride.
He insisted that she should skip meeting her friend and come with him instead.
Terrified by this unexpected proposition, she chose to remain silent, desperately hoping the ordeal would end quickly.
Sensing her silence, the driver taunted her, suggesting that her lack of response meant she agreed, which only intensified her fear.
"I just stayed quiet, trying to prevent anything from happening," she said, emphasising the anxiety she had felt during that ride.
Noorsyafikah Rahmat, 28, faced a different challenge when her e-hailing ride took a harsh and humiliating turn.
After arriving at her destination without small change to pay her fare, she encountered aggressive shouting from the driver.
"He yelled, 'Come on, girl! Who has small change this early in the morning?' I felt scared and humiliated by his shouting," she said.
Noorsyafikah was forced to leave the car and find a nearby shop to break her RM100 note, all while the driver refused to assist her with her luggage.
Reflecting on the incident, Noorsyafikah said that even though it was her fault, she believed there was no need for him to be so harsh.
"Also, e-hailing services have become more expensive, and since we can't choose our drivers, I hope service providers focus on selecting the right individuals to become drivers," she said.
For these passengers, their e-hailing experiences raised a larger issue about the professionalism and safety standards of drivers.
While the convenience of such services was undeniable, there is a pressing need for better oversight to ensure that passengers felt safe and respected.
High-profile cases and mounting complaints reflected the urgency of addressing these challenges.
By tightening regulations and providing proper training for drivers, service providers could mitigate risks and offer safer, more reliable rides for all.
In Malaysia, passengers could report incidents of inappropriate behaviour or misconduct to service providers or relevant authorities to ensure action was taken.
Service providers were urged to bolster their measures to safeguard passengers and improve the overall e-hailing experience, making it not just convenient but also secure and respectful.