The Commuter Choice: Uber and GrabCar

I can still remember the first time that I rode an Uber car was the time a few months back when my father passed away and I couldn't drive our family car since I was not able to renew my license last February. The whole ride was such a pleasant experience, being able to ride a another private car which feels like your own car and comes with your own personal driver. Even my mother found it very convenient since you would be picked up at your preferred point and not waste any time at the lines at taxi lanes or hailing a cab at the street. The fare charged to us during that ride was very much similar to a regular taxi fare and those factors began our riding relationship with Uber. 

Imagine my ire when I heard last week about the TRO issued by RTC Branch 217 against vehicles operating under the app-based Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS). My first reaction was dread as my family and I would go back to riding regular taxis again and experience the horror of fast meters, lengthy waits in taxi lanes, picky drivers and smelly interiors. Many of my friends expressed their dismay thru different social networking accounts and based on the online articles that I have read regarding the issue, many commuters definitely prefer riding Uber and GrabCar than risking their lives riding regular cabs based on the recent reports about criminal activity. Since the presiding judge over the case clarified that the TRO only covers new applications for TNVS and not current operations of Uber and GrabCar, I was so relieved that my family and I would still be able to ride the services being offered by the Uber network.

However, the main contention of the petitioner, Stop and Go coalition is that the whole point of the TRO was to stop the current operations of the TNVS vehicles and not just stop new applications to be accredited as one. They assert that regular taxi drivers incomes were slashed by half when TNVS vehicles started plying the streets of Metro Manila. As a regular Uber patron, I would say that it is not the fault of Uber or GrabCar that taxis lose their potential income because one, TNVS vehicles provide better service to the riding public in terms of safety and convenience. A patron would know if there is a rise in fare (also known as Surge) because they have already been informed beforehand when they booked the Uber/Grab Car vehicle hence extinguishing the "kontrata" modus of regular taxis. Patrons are also given the name and contact details of their driver which to my personal opinion adds a cloud of relief to the passenger since he would know who is driving him and how to contact him prior to the ride. Aside from those, drivers of TNVS are more polite and present themselves better compared to regular taxi drivers who are sometimes rude and disrespectful to their passengers. Regular taxis should give at par service to the riding public for them to have head-to-head competition with TNVS vehicles and not blame these new wave of vehicles for their loss of income lately. 

The goal of public transportation is to give the commuters the convenience they deserve when they want to ride from Point A to B. The issue in this case should not be about income always but who can bring their passenger from one place to another safely and also charge reasonably. I would say that as an TNVS believer, their service checks both requisites. Hopefully our transport system especially regular taxi cabs would realize their weaknesses for them to improve their service so that in the future their image will change in the eyes of the riding public. 

Reference Article:
1. Judge stands by TRO on Uber (Philippines, Dec 8, 2015) http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Nation&title=judge-stands-by-tro-on-uber&id=119907