Grab gears up for holiday surge

MANILA, Philippines — Grab Philippines is gearing up for the expected surge in demand for its services this holiday season. 

The company said that it is ramping up its efforts to better manage the balance between supply of vehicles with passenger demand this holiday season as well as to effectively serve the growth of on-demand deliveries. 

Grab Philippines said that part of the efforts include a range of new features to ensure safety and reliability without compromising on affordability.

“For some, the holiday season lasts two or three months. For Grab, it is a journey that spans over 10 months when you consider all the preparations done leading up to the season. We have been preparing since January of this year — working with our regulators toward a more balanced demand and supply, and launching a series of technologies to provide our consumers with a better holiday experience,” Grab Philippines country head Ronald Roda said.

Based on historical data of the company, Grab Philippines experiences at least a 19-percent jump in daily transacting users for its ride-hailing services every last quarter of the year, with the number of ride bookings growing by up to 45 percent in the second and third weeks of December. 

Demand for its deliveries business, meanwhile, rises by 20 percent on key holiday dates.

A recent survey by the brand revealed that 44 percent of Grab Philippines users rely on the app for their festive meal deliveries. 

“Our data and studies all lead to a singular insight: Filipinos just wish to be present this Christmas – fully engaged with families and friends as they celebrate the most beloved holiday. Grab aims to bring our kababayans much closer to their loved ones and help them create special moments this holiday season,” Roda said.

Grab Philippines said that while demand during peak times may inevitably outstrip current supply, the company remains optimistic that its service reliability this year will be much improved in comparison to the previous holidays.

With the release of new TNVS slots in August, the company has been onboarding new driver-partners, a process which it said can take up to three to five months. 

Besides the challenge of demand and supply imbalance, Grab Philippines said that it is also looking after the potential impact of holiday-induced traffic congestion on the earnings and productivity of its driver-partners.

However, the company assured its users that fares would stay fair, in line with the regulatory matrix implemented by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

“While we continue to prioritize the accessibility of our services, we are also closely monitoring the fairness of our fares to ensure that our driver-partners can earn sustainably and viably this holiday season. By ensuring this, we hope to encourage more drivers to continue serving our passengers in spite of the traffic situation, helping maintain service reliability on our platform,” Roda said. 

“The holidays are also crucial for our driver-partners, and we are committed to helping them capitalize on the increased demand to attain sufficient, if not above-par earnings, for themselves and their families,” he said.