Grab sets measures to curb driver, passenger cancellations

MANILA, Philippines – Grab Philippines announced it is implementing new measures to “reduce unreasonable cancellations for both drivers and passengers.”

In a statement on Monday, April 29, the ride-hailing company said it is “mindful that cancellations are frustrating for everyone – whether for a passenger whose time was wasted, or for a driver who already spent fuel and effort to get to the pickup point.”

What are the new measures for drivers?

• Penalty for going below the required completion rate, which is computed based on completed bookings, cancellation rates, and ignored jobs
• Temporary lockout from the platform for excessively ignoring or canceling booking requests
• Suspension and/or eventual ban for consistent low ratings and numerous complaints

If a driver goes “above and beyond,” Grab said there is a new “tipping feature” that allows the passenger to reward the driver with a 5-star rating.

What are the new measures for passengers? 

• 24-hour account suspension for excessive cancellations
• P50 fee for canceling a ride after 5 minutes of getting assigned a driver (fee will go to the driver as compensation)
• P50 fee for being a no-show at the pickup point within 5 minutes of the driver’s arrival for GrabCar and 3 minutes for GrabShare (fee will go to the driver as compensation)

When a driver cancels, meanwhile, 30 GrabRewards Points will automatically be awarded to the passenger.

In what instances will there be no fees?

Grab president Brian Cu said they are aware that “sometimes, cancellations are necessary during special situations.”

There will be no fees if:

• the passenger cancels within 5 minutes of getting assigned a driver
• the driver isn’t moving toward the pickup point or going the wrong direction
• the driver takes 15 minutes longer than the first estimated time of arrival 
• the driver indicates that he has arrived but he has not

If a fee was charged wrongly, Grab said it will give a refund within 48 hours, if the matter is reported through the Help Center on the app.

“Our intention in implementing this new policy is to create a better ride-hailing ecosystem, where both passengers and drivers practice the responsible use of the Grab platform,” Cu said.

Grab remains the dominant ride-hailing company in the Philippine market, following its acquisition of Uber’s Southeast Asia business in March 2018. Several new firms cropped up, but they have yet to make a significant difference in the market. (READ: Antitrust watchdog fines Grab P16 million over Uber deal) – Rappler.com