Grab or Taxi?

[JDDavao II]

I don't know about Manila but in Davao, taxi drivers use the meter and usually don't refuse service. I don't think unmarked Grab is down here yet but I see the taxis have replaced their Grab Taxi window stickers with ones for a service called Hirna.

[bastonjock]

2 hours ago, JDDavao said:

I don't know about Manila but in Davao, taxi drivers use the meter and usually don't refuse service. I don't think unmarked Grab is down here yet but I see the taxis have replaced their Grab Taxi window stickers with ones for a service called Hirna.

Yes I never had any problems with the taxis in davao , you get in and they switch on the meter , I saw plenty with the grab sticker on their side but dud not notice hirna

[Snowy79]

Grab is quickly becoming a right pain in Manila.  The price is fixed and although to the average Westerner it seams a decent price on average it's about 1/3 more expensive than a straight metered taxi.  I also find that depending on the time of the day you'll struggle to get a Grab as the select what trips they want.

Forget trying to get one on  Friday late afternoon from anywhere on the Bay area to take you to Makati.  The last four times I've waited over 3 hours continually trying to get one.

With Hirna I think that's a new competitior for Grab.  I saw it at Manila airport just before the Grab stand and thought I'd give them a chance.  Knowing Grab charges about 260 peso for the trip I enquired on their rates and they guoted over 500 peso.  Still cheaper than the fixed rate white ones who wanted from 1,200 to 1,500 peso.

[GBT62]

When I don't want to drive (or fight for a parking spot) in Cebu, we use Grab.

It is getting harder to get a Grab though - seems their number of drivers in dwindling since the Uber "merger".

I prefer Grab to taxi's because I can pay by my linked credit card - and not having to worry about smaller notes or change for the taxi. I found that Taxi's rarely seemed to have any change when I used them - that got a little old quickly.  

As for cost - neither local taxi's nor Grab are anywhere near what I used to pay back in Oz - fares of say $3 versus $3.50 are all so little in comparison to those back home I don't really mind Grabbing it 

[Ryan.]

4 hours ago, Snowy79 said:

Grab is quickly becoming a right pain in Manila.  The price is fixed and although to the average Westerner it seams a decent price on average it's about 1/3 more expensive than a straight metered taxi.  I also find that depending on the time of the day you'll struggle to get a Grab as the select what trips they want.

Forget trying to get one on  Friday late afternoon from anywhere on the Bay area to take you to Makati.  The last four times I've waited over 3 hours continually trying to get one.

With Hirna I think that's a new competitior for Grab.  I saw it at Manila airport just before the Grab stand and thought I'd give them a chance.  Knowing Grab charges about 260 peso for the trip I enquired on their rates and they guoted over 500 peso.  Still cheaper than the fixed rate white ones who wanted from 1,200 to 1,500 peso.

 Grab is a PITA because they are facing harsh external pressure almost if they are being discouraged from either existing or expanding like Uber departing.They are basically taking transportation from 1975 to 2018 and certain entities wish to take it back to 1975, imo.

Edited August 19, 2018 by Ryan.