Grab Philippines urges LTFRB to lift TNVS supply cap

As the re-imposition of the controversial P2-per-minute travel charge draws near, Grab Philippines is urging the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to lift the cap on transport network vehicle services (TNVS).

Grab Philippines country head Brian Cu said on Wednesday the company lost up to 10 percent of its partner drivers when the LTFRB canceled the P2-per-minute charge last April.

“We lost around 10 percent of our drivers since the P2 got suspended,” Cu said in an interview in Makati City on Wednesday.

Earlier this September, the LTFRB allowed Grab and other transport network companies to reimpose the travel time fee.

“The news that the P2 has come back has helped a bit ... It will be back in the fares on the 21st of September, 15 days after the publication,” Cu said.

But the industry remains short of TNVS.

“There’s still a lack of supply even if the drivers that left will return ... Even if that 10 percent comes back, kulang pa rin. There’s still a need for another 6,000 to 8,000 drivers,” Cu noted.

Grab has 35,000 active drivers serving 600,000 bookings per day.

The common supply base of 65,000 drivers was set by the LTFRB but only 55,000 are were actually on the master list submitted by Grab and Uber.

Last August, the regulator opened the applications for 10,000 drivers outside the master list to meet the supply cap. —VDS, GMA News