(TECH) My Unfortunate Encounter using GRAB TAXI. The Pros and Cons of IT.

Last Monday, July 1 2013 I shared with you the new way of taxi booking through its revolutionary application, “GRAB TAXI”. Today Im sharing with you the risks of using it. LINK of the article HERE.

I have been using Grab Taxi for almost a month now and everyday, I shared my journey on twitter so people will know and download this app on their smartphone. I always leave comments about the trip, the driver and all related observation and as far as I can remember, I never said anything bad as I always had a great conversation with taxi driver. They are courteous and sometimes I even start the conversation about the benefits of Grab Taxi among passengers and drivers.

Today, is different.

At around 8am I started booking taxi from my place to my office. Note that everytime you book a taxi, there is no guarantee that there will be one assigned to you. Even though there are some cabs nearby, chances are they are currently having passengers. After some unsuccessful attempts in 12 minutes, I cab driver bid (meaning clicked YES on his app), so I got an assigned driver.

Usually, I don’t wait for cab drivers to arrive at my place, I usually call immediately so I can give short instruction and other matters. I’m about to call the driver when suddenly received an incoming. She introduced herself as someone from Grab Taxi and asked my location. So I gave my locations and instruction to her as she volunteered to call the driver assigned to me.

After 5 minutes, the girl who called me texted and said “Sir Papunta nap oh yung taxi konting antay lang poh” which is alright for me because I usually wait.

After another 6 minutes, I check the app again to see where is my driver located. In the app, you can actually monitor the activity of the driver assigned to you from the GPS/Map. I noticed that the driver is somewhere around Shaw Blvd. Around more than 2-3 KMs away from me.

So I texted the girl who contacted me, “Parang ang layo pa nya.”

She texted back: “Tawagan ko poh.”

Then after a minute she texted again, “Sir matrapik daw poh ung Edsa.”

At this moment 8.27am, I feel something is not right. I started to control my words and texted her back. “I know. Pro sya ba talaga pinakamalapit sa kin?”

She texted back, “Kze poh qng cnu poh makapindot na driver yun poh and mauuna sa inyo, yung grin sign”.

I got irritated with the way this girl is conversing with me and her jejemon kind of texting. I mean this is world class kind of business  transaction. And I am talking to, 13year old bored kiddo?

At 8.33 I replied back, “til now wala pa sya. Hindi ako aabot sa meeting ko.”

Then she texted me back, “Sir traffic daw po sa edsa ei”

I don’t know how that feels but it’s been awhile since I got totally upset and mad. She keep insisting the EDSA situation. Should I be sorry for the driver? I controlled myself and texted her back, “So ilang minutes pa?” Coz the norm is, by 8.35am I should be traveling. And it’s more than 20minutes since the driver bid to fetch me.

I should have cancelled the booking but as the one of the bloggers who attended the launch, they explained that Grab taxi is not just business, but building trust amongst drivers and passengers. So I waited.

She texted back, “20 to 25 mins kaze na traffic poh xa sa edsa.”

I cancelled the booking. I texted her back. “Pakicancel na lang. Wala akong planong malate.”

I think all my blood went to up to my head. Why would a driver, (who knew EDSA is impossible in a rush hour) would say YES to me and I’m here in Makati. I will understand If I didn’t get any taxi from booking on my app because of distance constraints. right?

So at 8.43 IM STILL AT HOME. With laptop and files I have with me, I will just start trying my luck of the cab who will pass by. I arrived at work 9.25, FIRST TIME to report late at work, missed my 9am meeting. Ever since I started working, I resigned to the fact that there are no excuses to late, especially traffic. And I would rather engage to a decent and well versed customer representative of the brand than on jejemons.

Fleet operators and GRAB TAXI should explain to drivers that they should assess the time frame of fetching passengers in an acceptable time. Not 30-40 minutes. Because the passenger would specifically indicate on the booking that they want to be picked at later time.

So these are the risks. My readers and friends are aware that I’m not really into these kind of complaining. I just need to say it or I’ll be biased with readers that everything is fine. I don’t know what to say now. Today  is Friday and GRAB TAXI set my mood straight. Again, my FIRST TIME to arrive late at work. Now I don’t know If I want to use GRAB TAXI again.

I still cant believe I allowed this to happen.