It has piqued our curiosity, actually

It has been a week since Uber resumed its operations, and it was a relief to commuters that Uber is back on the road. Like love, sacrifices are involved; In Uber’s case, it’s the Php190 Million fine they had to pay to LTFRB. It really hurts on their part, but then they have to comply with LTFRB’s ruling to give us a safe commuting option we all yearn for.

Cheesiness aside, I got a bit curious at why people sort of love Uber more than Grab. They may be both ride-hailing services, but one is preferred over the other. I did some research on this matter, along with conversing with a few drivers that use Uber and Grab, and found out these facts:

Fare coverage is different

As pointed out in an article by Money Max, Grab and Uber have different policies when it comes to trips where toll fares are involved. For Uber, they include toll fees because they are included with the trips of their riders. This is explained further in their post regarding trips to Cavite. Grab, on the other hand, does not include toll fees in their booking prices as explained in their FAQ page. So when it comes to fees, Uber gives a more accurate fare over Grab.

Choosiness really depends

Since Grab is originally based on a taxi platform (it used to be called GrabTaxi), drivers really have the choice to reject passengers, and for me that is a sad thing. During the time Uber was suspended, my social media feed was filled with complaints against Grab for their drivers rejecting them, especially during those times when it was raining cats and dogs.

As for Uber, a few drivers told me that cancellations are usually done by riders. This can be bad for drivers, as they can incur losses for the day, both with money and time. Just a piece of advice: regardless if you are taking Uber or Grab, please don’t flake off a trip because by doing so it reflects on your personality. But with Grab, maybe they can make changes to avoid taxi-like incidents of rejecting passengers.

There’s a price to everything

While there has been countless articles saying that Uber is more expensive than Grab, there’s a reason for that: Uber drivers comprise of mostly private individuals, while Grab drivers usually comprise of former taxi drivers. Not that I have any bias for Uber (I’ve tried Grab a few times, and they delivered the same pleasant experience as with my Uber rides), but I’ve conversed with a few Uber drivers and asked why they refused to shift to Grab, even during the time when Uber was suspended. Their reply? They are not comfortable with working in a system that is similar to taxis.

Closing remarks: More ride-hailing options?

During the time Uber was suspended, more ride-hailing options popped up. There is Arcade City, there is Dryb, there is MiCab, and there are a bunch of alternatives that most of us are not aware of. While we have yet tried these Uber / Grab alternatives, I do think it helps that commuters have more options other than Uber and Grab. Other than having more options, what is more important is they offer good service that people can depend on. Now if they can get pegs with how Uber is good in persuading its users during that half-month long “crisis”, that would help.

Of course, all of these is not possible if LTFRB remains to be close minded about these ride-hailing apps.

Do you prefer Uber or Grab? Share in your sentiments below!