New Grab drivers get up to P10,000 bonus

MANILA, Philippines — Grab Philippines is extending as much as P10,000 in signing bonus to drivers who would join the app when the government opens more than 4,000 slots for transport network vehicle service (TNVS) next week.

The ride-hailing app is offering driver bonuses and legal assistance worth P10,000 to applicants with six-seater vehicles and P6,000 for those with four-seater vehicles.

Grab Philippines senior director for strategy and operations Ronald Roda said the bonus program aims to entice drivers to join or return to the platform.

Roda said Grab suffered a shortage of drivers in its app as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

At the height of the quarantine, Grab said that some of its drivers squandered their loaned cars to repossession or moved out to other economic opportunities.

With the bonus program, Roda said Grab hopes to address the shortage in TNVS drivers on the road by inviting fresh and returning partners on the platform.

According to Roda, there is a need for transport providers like Grab to expand their fleet of drivers to service the growing demand for mobility services in the pandemic aftermath.

“We’re optimistic that these new TNVS slots will truly benefit the many Filipinos who are back on the road on the way to their offices, families and even leisure travels,” Roda said.

Grab, he said, remains firm in its commitment to making transportation safe, reliable, and more accessible for more passengers.

“Grab understands the vital role of efficient mobility in the daily lives of the commuting public and it is fully committed to providing a much better ride-hailing experience to our passengers as we welcome more driver-partners onto the platform,” he added.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is set to open an additional 4,433 slots for the application of TNVS license starting Jan. 9.

The process would continue until all the slots are filled, with each individual authorized to register up to three vehicles.

Based on data, the LTFRB said there are roughly 7,000 drivers with a TNVS franchise, on top of a few hundred more with provisional authority, serving commuters.