Beating the rush: Grab rolls out holiday shuttles, rides

With year-end gridlock stretching trips by 20 to 25 percent and demand for rides set to jump 36 percent, Grab Philippines is racing to stay ahead of the holiday rush. 

The platform said Tuesday it is rolling out airport shuttles, carpooling pilots, and tech-enabled ride-sharing features to help riders secure trips as Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) supply gets squeezed.

Grab Philippines Managing Director Ronald Roda said the company has been preparing for the holiday rush since the start of the year. 

“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,” Roda said. 

“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,” he added. 

Grab has coordinated with the Department of Transportation and the LTFRB, while expanding its partnership with New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) to address the high demand at airports. 

Year-to-date figures show ride-hailing at NAIA has risen over 30 percent, prompting Grab to step in to manage foot traffic and ease congestion at arrival areas.

Additionally, Grab will provide free shuttles from NAIA Terminal 3 to One Ayala during peak hours, operating 4:00 PM to 1:00 AM on 5 to 8 Dec, 12 to 16 Dec, and 19 to 22 Dec, Fridays to Mondays, and Tuesday for the second week.

The shuttles aim to give travelers access to public transit when ride-hailing is hardest to book. Grab is also enhancing its 24-hour concierge at Terminal 3 to assist more passengers in securing rides.

To further stretch its fleet, Grab is encouraging wider use of Group Rides, which allow up to four passengers to share a GrabCar by entering individual pick-up or drop-off points. The app then calculates the most efficient route, helping drivers serve more passengers despite congestion.

Holiday demand also extends to food delivery, where Grab’s Party Platters feature distributes bulk orders across multiple riders to ensure smooth fulfillment without overloading individual couriers. 

Alongside these measures, Grab continues to support its driver-partners with refresher modules on Grab Academy, covering ride fulfillment, passenger handling, and maintaining safe and respectful service.