Ride-hailing drivers in Vietnam are calling for a two-day boycott of the Grab app this weekend to protest what they describe as unsustainably low earnings due to increased service charges. Drivers claim deductions now amount to as much as 50% of fares, significantly reducing their net income after expenses.
The boycott highlights growing tensions between ride-hailing platforms and their drivers over compensation models, potentially impacting Grab's operations and service availability in Vietnam.
Vietnamese ride-hailing drivers working for Singapore's Grab have organized a call for a two-day boycott of the app this weekend, citing a significant reduction in their earnings due to increased service charges. Drivers have used social media platforms, particularly a Facebook group called the Vietnam Grab Driver Community with 169,000 members, to share screenshots of their diminished income and urge colleagues to stop accepting rides on Saturday and Sunday.
According to a report by state-run VTC News, drivers claim that changes to Grab's payment structure implemented in July have resulted in deductions amounting to as much as 50% of the fare. This would leave drivers with net earnings of approximately 2,600 dong ($0.10) per kilometer for motorcycle rides and 6,000 dong ($0.2317) per kilometer for car trips, before accounting for fuel, maintenance, and vehicle depreciation costs. Grab did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the boycott. One user within the Facebook group expressed concern that if Grab were to withdraw from Vietnam, drivers would be left with no income source.