Grab PHL readies for more passengers, brings back ride-sharing

GRAB Philippines on Monday said its “Multi-Stop Ride and GrabShare” services are critical in addressing supply challenges, especially during the holiday season.

Grab said there is an ongoing shortage of drivers, but there are efforts to support passengers and existing drivers while remaining compliant with the fare matrix of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

“Among such efforts include the Multi-Stop Ride and GrabShare,” Grab Philippines Senior Director for Operations Ronald Roda said in a statement.

He said the company is preparing to serve more passengers as the economy further reopens this year.

The LTFRB plans to open 4,433 slots for the application of transport network vehicle service or TNVS this year.

“This is a much welcome development for many passengers in the immediate term, and if we are to make mobility work for our commuters in the long term, there needs to be proactive, data-driven planning and forecasting of driver supply to ensure that at any given time, passengers are able to book a ride whenever they need to,” Grab’s Mr. Roda said.

“There is still hope for our state of transportation, and Grab remains deeply committed to playing an active role in supporting the needs and safeguarding the wellbeing of our passengers and driver-partners,” he added.

Grab’s Multi-Stop Ride allows two different passengers from the same pickup point to share two individual rides in a single booking.

Meanwhile, GrabShare allows passengers to share their rides with other passengers at more affordable fares.

“Similar to Multi-Stop Rides, GrabShare helps maximize the limited number of cars on the road while helping serve the high passenger booking demands on Grab’s transport business,” the company said. — Arjay L. Balinbin