Drive for Grab part-time, Penang airport drivers’ chief tells members

A group of airport limo drivers at the Penang airport say e-hailing services such as Grab have effectively slashed their income from about RM6,000 a month to RM2,000 today.

GEORGE TOWN: The leader of an airport limousine association in Penang has urged its drivers to also work for e-hailing services to stay afloat, as ride requests and incomes dwindle.

Penang Airport Limousine and Taxi Drivers’ Association chairman Hafizi Ahamad said he knew full well his remarks might not be acceptable to all drivers but that he had to say it as it was a matter of “sink or swim”, given the current competition.

They could continue providing the airport limo service while also enlisting with an e-hailing service, he suggested.

Speaking to FMT, he said with the government allowing all classes of taxis, limousines and “kereta sewa” (rented cars) to opt for e-hailing services, the timing was ripe for drivers of airport limos in Penang to do so as well.

Hafizi explained how this would work out for Penang’s limo drivers. He said currently drivers got their fares from sending passengers from the airport to their destinations.

“On the way back to the airport, there is no passenger to pick up. At this point, they can come online on their e-hailing apps, do a trip and later return to the airport again.

“That way, they can make some money on their way back to the airport,” he said.

Hafizi said he himself was already driving part-time for an e-hailing service.

Last month, a group of airport limo drivers claimed the 300 airport limo drivers could previously do at least eight trips in a span of 12 hours, but only made two trips a day today.

The group said e-hailing services such as Grab had effectively slashed their income by half from about RM6,000 a month to RM2,000 today.

Hafizi said, in the meantime, the government must level the playing field between airport limo fares and e-hailing fares so as to be fair to all parties.

Hafizi said currently, the airport limo fares were set by the government, with 5% of the fares collected going to cooperatives.

“I know, we lose in terms of fare rates to Grab, but our services are top notch.

“The government should look at Singapore’s airports where e-hailing rates and taxi rates are not much different,” he said.

Currently, the airport limo service charges between RM18 and RM85 in fixed fares based on the nearest to the farthest destinations within Penang island. Those headed to the mainland might see their fares breach the RM100 mark.

Those using the service between 10pm and 7am would have to pay 40% more on top of their fare.

A trip from the airport to Komtar, for instance would cost RM45 and to Batu Ferringhi, RM75. The same trip on e-hailing services such as Grab would cost RM21 (Komtar) and RM38 (Batu Ferringhi). Checks by FMT showed those headed to Perai or Butterworth from the airport would only need to pay about RM30.

On a different note, Hafizi said the Penang International Airport should offer an area for e-hailing drivers to wait for passengers, as overcrowding was causing massive congestion at the arrival driveways.

He proposed that e-hailing drivers pick-up passengers from a designated area on the departure driveway, as opposed to the arrival area being used today.

“Now all the Grab drivers are hogging the exit ramp from the airport, causing a major bottleneck for those leaving the airport.

“While we wait for a waiting area, it is best for Grab drivers to not wait, just drop-off their passengers and leave, instead of hogging all lanes.” -FMT