Grab Reaffirms Commitment to Service Accessibility Amid Holiday Demand Peak

Grab has 24-hour booking assistance booths at all NAIA terminals to help arriving passengers book a ride

Grab Philippines has reiterated its commitment to keeping ride-hailing and food delivery services accessible this holiday season, banking on strategic partnerships and carpooling services like Grab Group Rides to mitigate the supply crunch driven by the sharp increase in demand.

Grab data indicates that current traffic congestion is prolonging the completion of ride-hailing trips by an average of 20 to 25% during peak hours, affecting the number of trips a TNVS driver can complete daily. This congestion, compounded by a projected 36 percent spike in fourth-quarter demand for ride-hailing services, is placing strain on the overall supply of TNVS vehicles on the road.

To address these pressures, Grab is working with New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) — the private consortium operating Ninoy Aquino International Airport — to ease pick-up bottlenecks at key terminals as airports remain a demand hotspot amid surging arrivals; while also coordinating with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the LTFRB to ensure the availability of ride-hailing options this season.

Grab Philippines Managing Director Ronald Roda shares, “This holiday season will be a challenge, as in previous years. We are facing a slew of macroeconomic factors, from an uptick in holiday demand that challenges the supply of vehicles to the traffic conditions of the metro. There will be moments when getting a ride feels harder than usual, but we promise to do our absolute best to be better than last year. We have been preparing since the start of the year to ensure our services remain accessible enough to help every Filipino make their holiday celebration complete.”

Leveraging on Shuttle Rides and Carpool Services to Support Transport Demand

A cornerstone of this strategic focus on reliability is a strengthened partnership with NNIC. With year-to-date data showing a jump of more than 30% in ride-hailing demand at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Grab is stepping in to directly manage foot traffic and decongest the arrivals population in the airport.

The leading superapp will deploy free airport shuttle rides during critical windows when travellers are finding it difficult to book a Grab ride, specifically between 4:00 PM and 1:00 AM. Operating across three key holiday weekends — December 5-8, 12-16, and 19-22 — the shuttles will run from Fridays to Mondays, and Tuesday for the second week, moving passengers from NAIA Terminal 3 to the One Ayala public transport terminal. This ensures that even when most ride-hailing drivers are fully utilized, passengers can still access the city’s mass transit network. 

NNIC General Manager Angelito Alvarez highlighted the importance of the shuttle initiative with Grab: “We have been working to make airport operations more efficient, especially now that the holidays bring in so many travelers. That’s why we appreciate Grab stepping in to help further strengthen our transport options. The rush can make it harder to get a ride, so having more reliable choices really helps. Little things like this make a big difference when the airport is at its busiest.” Grab also recently improved its 24-hour concierge at NAIA Terminal 3 to accommodate more passengers in need of assistance in booking a GrabCar.

Grab also piloted its shared ride program “Sabay Sakay” in partnership with the DOTr ahead of the spike in holiday demand for transport options. The scheduled carpooling service targets routes covering key business districts, starting with the Pasig-Makati and Pasig-BGC corridors. By using on-ground concierges to consolidate bookings, the initiative increases seat utilization where standard ride availability is low.

Maximizing Vehicles with Group Rides

Grab is also turning to its suite of tech features to boost maximum efficiency out of the existing fleet. To mitigate the strain on the available supply of ride-hailing vehicles, the leading superapp is banking on its “Group Rides” feature to maximize fleet efficiency. Grab Group Rides allows a host to share a link with up to three passengers, enabling them to input their individual pick-up or drop-off points as they depart or arrive together in a singular GrabCar.

Grab’s mapping algorithms then generate the most efficient route to connect all locations. By consolidating these multi-stop journeys, the feature significantly maximizes existing vehicles on the road and boosts driver productivity, ensuring that the limited fleet can serve a higher volume of passengers despite the holiday congestion.

On the delivery front, the introduction of Party Platters addresses the logistical complexity of holiday feasting. The feature allows consumers to secure deals on large bulk orders, while the backend technology seamlessly distributes these massive orders across multiple delivery riders. This ensures smooth fulfillment without overwhelming individual drivers, maintaining service reliability even as food delivery demand peaks alongside transport needs.

A Driver-Led Holiday Service

Grab continues to put a premium on supporting its driver-partners, especially during a season of heavier traffic. To help them navigate this period confidently, the platform has strengthened its focus on driver decorum through refresher modules on the in-app learning platform Grab Academy. This is to help ensure standards on ride fulfillment, passenger handling, and maintaining safe, respectful spaces. These efforts highlight Grab’s commitment to empowering partners to consistently deliver quality service.