MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network): Grab Philippines, which is keen on expanding presence in the provinces, is seeking additional 20,000 slots for transport network vehicle service (TNVS) as the initial allotment by the government has already been filled.
Grace Cruz, country head of the super app operator, told reporters in Manila on Wednesday they have already maximised the initial 4,000 slots allocated by the Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board.
“We’re waiting for the next batch of slots. We’re hoping for more,” Cruz said on the sidelines of an event.
She said the ride-hailing service provider was still lacking in terms of number of driver-partners, which has yet to reach the pre-pandemic level. Prior to the pandemic, Grab had about 65,000 drivers on its platform.
Cruz raised the need for more drivers plying the roads given the increasing demand for mobility with the further reopening of the economy.
Apart from Metro Manila, Cruz said they were looking forward to enlist more drivers in the regions, including Cebu and Davao. Grab is set to launch its services in Iloilo this week with 100 TNVS slots, she said.
Grab beefs up provincial network as demand rises
The super app operator previously shared its intent to allocate TNVS slots in Pampanga, Albay, Camarines Sur and Bacolod city. It is keen on expanding in Mindanao cities to fast-track digital transformation initiatives.
“The fresh allocation of TNVS supply is truly a welcome development. Grab has initiated discussions with the local governments of Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Iligan to hopefully launch Grab’s super app services in their cities to enable their constituents to enjoy digital services,” Grab Philippines senior director for operations Ronald Roda said earlier.
Grab has recently partnered with GCash for a payment solution offering, allowing users of the ride-hailing app to use the e-wallet to settle transactions.
The partnership allows users to link their GCash accounts to GrabPay, which is comparable to enrolling debit or credit cards for online payments.
This feature can generate savings for users as this eliminates the need to send money to GrabPay accounts from a digital banking or e-wallet account, which requires additional costs in the form of transfer fees.
