Commuters group urges LTFRB to clarify Grab ‘surge fees’

A commuters group on Tuesday asked the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to issue a clarification on the surge rate of ride-hailing firm Grab amid overcharging complaints.

The LTFRB earlier conducted a hearing on the complaint filed by Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection (LCSP) against the transport network company (TNC) Joseph Morong reported on “24 Oras”.

“Buong araw ba to? Lumalabas na buong araw daw sabi ng Grab pero sila ang may discretion if they will not apply the fare surge,” said LCSP President Ariel Inton.

(Is it applicable for the whole day? Because that’s what it looks like. Grab has the discretion to apply the fare surge.)

“’Yung mga jeepney dati, 'di ba sa petition nila sabi 'during rush hour' lang. Buti pa 'yun, nag-specify sila kung anong oras. Bakit 'yung TNVS hindi?” asked Inton.

(Jeepney drivers, in their petition, [said that their fare surge] should be during rush hours only. That's better, they specified the hours. How come TNVS don’t?)

Grab’s approved fare matrix includes a surge fee but no specified time for its implementation was set, according to the LTFRB. They said they will decide if there is a need to define the exact hours it should be imposed.

“’Yun nga po 'yung gustong malaman. Kailan po tayo nagsu-surge? Dapat nga po ma-control,” LTFRB Executive Director Robert Peig said.

(That’s what we want to know. When do we experience a surge because that needs to be controlled.)

Peig also said the agency observed several violations by the TNC, including its alleged charging of a P85 minimum fare and P40 stop base fare for short trips — higher than the P60 for the one-kilometer rate they estimated under the current fare structure.

“Inconsistency, ibig sabihin ‘yung fare structure na binigay nung 2019 ay hindi sumusunod allegedly dito sa current fare structure,” he added.

(Inconsistency. That means they are allegedly not complying with the fare structure we implemented in 2019.)

For its part, Grab explained the surge fees had been approved by the LTFRB and the additional rates are imposed whenever there was a gap between the number of drivers and passengers.

“The LTFRB is already... they have imposed a maximum of 2x that has been in place for a number of years now,” Grab Spokesperson EJ De Vega said. “Inefficient ride is how we view it but even that, with the fare matrix currently in place, that P85 is within what is allowed to be charged”. — Sundy Locus/DVM, GMA Integrated News