TL;DR – Grab is shortening its grace period for the majority of its ride-hailing modes to 3 minutes — any longer than that, prepare to pay a S$3 fee for every 5 minutes your driver waits for you.
Thinking of booking a Grab to that gathering at night, or back home after the wee hours? Note these changes that Grab will be making to its existing grace waiting time and cancellation period.
Chop-chop: Move it or be “fined”.
Starting 18th July 2022, if you make your drivers wait longer than three minutes, you will be automatically charged a waiting fee of S$3 per five-minute waiting block.
Once you make your driver wait more than three minutes, S$3 is charged, and you have five minutes until the eighth minute until the next S$3 is charged.
Previously, the grace period was five minutes.
Also, don’t suka-suka book-cancel, book-cancel: A S$4 will be charged if you cancel a booking after three minutes from the point a driver has been assigned to you.
These changes will apply for all rides except bookings under GrabExec, GrabExec6, GrabAssist and GrabAssist Plus.
Unreasonable? Grabbers have something to say.
Netizens have something to say too, after Grab’s announcement on shortening grace periods. One netizen cried foul that some drivers would tap “Arrived” when in fact they have not, which causes customers to wait — so customers should get a S$3 off if the drivers are not punctual.
A few other netizens also voiced that Grab drivers should be charged for cancelling on customers after making customers wait for ten minutes. Imagine being in a rush and waiting eagerly for your ride — just to have it cancelled abruptly.
Another netizen raised that this is unreasonable given that surcharges are implemented based on demand and supply of riders — aren’t Grab earning enough already?
Got alternatives or not?
Currently, Gojek charges a S$4 cancellation fee if customers cancel five minutes after being assigned a driver, or if they cancel when the driver is already at the pick-up point. Similarly, Gojek has a five-minute grace period after the driver arrives, and the driver reserves the right to cancel the booking after five minutes if he/she doesn’t want to wait.
Ryde currently charges S$5.30 as cancellation fees if you cancel four minutes after booking a ride. If you make your rider wait more than four minutes after he/she has arrived, a S$5.30 fee is charged as well regardless if the trip is completed or not.
So, currently, Grab’s new rules are the most cut-throat as compared to the other ride-hailing companies.
Three minutes – take it or leave it. Remember, book a ride only when you’re ready, and don’t make a mad dash when your driver suddenly arrive. But also, don’t chao-kuan (bad habit) and purposely make people wait — drivers’ time are literally their livelihood.
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