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Essay / Carpooling Service Implementation in the Philippines: Issues and Challenges
Everything in the modern world is centered around ease and comfort. Technological innovation has always aimed to find a way to make human life easier. However, it has long been difficult for us to find a solution regarding traffic in Metro Manila. Many have thought of ways to reduce stress and reduce long hours spent while traveling, which now brings us to the era of Ride-Hailing apps. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay Means of transportation now range from an unlicensed taxi service to public utility vehicles (PUVs) to public utility vehicles (PUVs) ridesharing services such as Grab, the most popular ridesharing app in the Philippines. Grab is called a "ride-sharing" service, a misnomer when applied to single-fare rides, but accurate when referring to the ride-sharing service the company offers (PCMag). Since its arrival in the Philippines in early 2013 (Calvin), Grab has become an essential application on many users' smartphones. But why, despite these so-called “improvements,” is the traffic situation in Metro Manila only getting worse? Some may argue that there are virtually no problems for consumers of these ride-sharing apps, but while there are benefits, there are also downsides. Rising prices are the main reason that comes to mind. This is the free market pricing method which depends on supply (number of cars available) and demand (number of passengers booking (Jalloh). Often during peak hours the price can quadruple compared to rush hour. no rush hour Commuters are then faced with the dilemma of whether it is worth paying ten times the price of a bus for the luxury of a semi-private car. However, most of the time, most drivers are nowhere to be found when they are needed the most. In an interview I had with my neighbor who is a Grab driver, he said that usually he and his colleagues. Drivers don't go out to drive during peak hours because the money they make during that time isn't worth their expenses either in terms of gas, effort or time. Well, commuters have this sense of relief in mind that even if the traffic is extremely heavy, they can travel comfortably thanks to Grab. However, in reality, there is little chance of booking a ride during peak hours. Simply put, from the customer's perspective, it's like considering a choice you can't even choose. This is all due to heavy traffic and the fact that drivers earn less due to difficult circumstances. Also to my surprise, I learned that Grab drivers earn less than what they work for. There were 43,000 drivers before Grab acquired Uber in Southeast Asia1, but as of May 2, 2018, there were around 35,000 drivers serving 600,000 bookings per day in the Philippines (Rey). Since then, the numbers have continued to decline. This is due to the recent suspension of the P2 per minute rate, which left many drivers with no choice but to opt out due to their low income. It is quite suspicious and contradictory that consumers find using Grab expensive, but drivers don't even earn the amount of money they need and is also worth their time and effort. Grab gives incentives to its drivers only if they reach the quota which is not.).