10. Cash Payment – Prepare the right amount of fare or better still pay for your trip using GrabPay. GrabHitch Drivers are not your usual private-hire or taxi driver who has a reserved stash of cash for your change. The last thing the Driver would want to do is to divert and look for change for you.
9. Buy 1 get 1 Free – Indicate upfront how many riders are travelling on the trip and live by it. Nobody likes to be surprised with additional riders on board without notice. Many Drivers shared that they prefer to pick just 1 rider as they find it awkward that the riders have a conversation among themselves and they are driving quietly like a professional driver.
8. Booking trip for others – Many GrabHitch Drivers and Riders are still not aware that there will be no insurance coverage if the person who booked the trip is not travelling on the trip itself. In Grab’s own words “Rider refers to the individual who made the booking, together with his/her companions as indicated on the app (if applicable). No coverage will be provided if the ride is taken by a different rider who made the Hitch booking, or if the total number of riders are indicated inaccurately. ” Don’t be surprised if your GrabHitch Driver decides to cancel on you if you try to book for friends and you are not travelling together.
7. Keep your hands to yourself – Messing around with the Driver’s car is a no-no. If you need to turn-up the air-con to cool yourself, turn up the radio to dance to the music or wind down the window to burp, always ask for permission to do so. The car is the driver’s cockpit and no drivers like others to meddle around with their car, much less a stranger.
6. Refusing to be stacked – Stack in GrabHitch terminology means having 1 or more rider travelling together on the same route in a vehicle. Think of it as GrabShare or UberPool. GrabHitch drivers are allowed to stack multiple riders on a single trip but are advised to inform riders up front of any stacking arrangements. Many self-entitled riders want a car all by themselves and refused to be stacked even though the route is reasonable and minimal delay. These riders totally do not understand the spirit of social carpooling.
5. Instruct Driver to take their preferred route – Social carpooling means rider don’t behave like you are on a metered taxi trip. The fare is fixed and your driver can take whatever appropriate route that he wants, even if a longer route to evade ERP charges.
4. Social etiquette – Taking the back seat – This is social carpooling, he is a regular private car driver, not a private-hire driver or your taxi uncle. This is a mutual benefit platform that calls for mutual respect.
Understand the difference between Social Carpooling vs Commercial Carpooling, check out the difference between GrabHitch vs GrabShare!
3. Do not acknowledge SMS for confirmation – As a good practice to have, the driver will usually send a SMS to confirm the trip with the rider after accepting it in-app. Most of them will only proceed to pick-up after confirmation. This is due to the no cancellation charge levied on rider and drivers are not compensated for a cancelled trip. Every drop of petrol and seconds counts.
2. Being late for pick-up – Time is precious, nobody likes to wait for others. Your driver is giving you a lift for a token, not a reward. The last thing he wants is to be late for work because of your punctuality issues.
1. Last minute cancellation – The number 1 reason that GrabHitch driver hates about Riders. Going all the way to pick-up rider and to be informed by the app that rider has cancelled. Some riders don’t even have the courtesy to SMS and apologise and take it as granted.
Not driving for GrabHitch yet? Sign-up today and complete your first trip to receive a sign-up bonus. Already driving, check out our GrabHitch Driver FAQs for all questions related to GrabHitch or learn how to use the GrabHitch Driver app.
