Private-hire group calls on Grab to delay bonus scheme revamp

The National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) has asked ride-hailing platform Grab to delay the roll-out of changes to its incentive schemes, slated for July 1, "for further deliberation".

- Esther Loi

In an in-app message to drivers on June 20, Grab announced that, from July 1, Streak Zones would be available to all its partner drivers, along with revisions to the existing monthly bonus scheme.

Streak Zones was trialled in May 2024. It allows drivers to pre-book two-hour time slots where they drive in high-demand areas, during which all their bookings are automatically accepted.

Drivers earn a cashback of 5 per cent on every completed trip.

"Payouts are made the next day, improving cash flow for driver-partners," Grab told The Straits Times.

However, NPHVA is concerned that the changes would result in reduced earnings for most full-time drivers, said Ms Yeo Wan Ling, adviser to the association, on June 23.

Grab's monthly bonus scheme has three levels, each with its own bonus structure.

The more trips a driver completes in a month, the higher the percentage bonus on their earnings, with rates increasing across tiers and trip milestones.