Grab paused its driver bonus overhaul after its own drivers' association revolted

Ride-hailing service Grab will pause planned changes to its driver incentive scheme after a backlash about the impact on drivers' earnings and income stability. Grab and the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) told The Business Times the pause ensures drivers' concerns 'are fully addressed before rolling out further changes'.

Two days earlier, the NPHVA had urged Grab to delay the revised structure — the Grab Monthly Bonus — which rewards consistent drivers but lowers overall payouts for drivers completing 300 to 499 trips. The association noted that range makes up a significant portion of full-time drivers and would be hit hardest: bonus percentages of 4, 7 and 10 per cent for Levels 1–3, with cash bonuses cut from a current maximum of S$100 to nothing, S$30 and S$50. Top-tier Diamond drivers could still earn up to 21 per cent, but by completing 651 rides instead of 701.

Grab said its intention had been to reduce drivers' hours and help them reach earning goals faster, but 'recognised that the planned changes could have been better implemented'. Some drivers rely on incentives to supplement basic fares, and there were worries the revised structure would make target earnings harder to reach. Grab committed to working with the NPHVA, which said it would keep engaging on workers' interests.

The cut targeted exactly the cohort that drives full-time: 300–499 trips a month, where incentive reliance is highest.

The drivers' own association took the fight public, converting a pay-policy tweak into a labour relations incident.

Cash bonuses dropping from a S$100 maximum to zero for Level 1 drivers gave critics an unanswerable headline number.

Grab conceded implementation failure within days — the scheme never got to prove its case in the market.

When a pay formula touches organised users — unions, associations, power users — the backlash is institutional. Pilot the maths with them first, or launch day becomes retraction day.

The Grab Monthly Bonus was paused before rollout. Grab and the NPHVA issued a joint statement on 25 June 2025 committing to work together, with no new launch date announced. Grab's stated goals — fewer driver hours, faster goal completion — remain on the table pending a rework.