Source: Adapted from MS News Reader and Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash.
A Grab driver in Singapore has questioned the company’s reimbursement policy after their claim for cleaning fees was allegedly rejected when a passenger vomited inside their vehicle.
The incident happened while the driver, a Diamond-tiered Grab driver, was ferrying a passenger on the evening of 17 May.
According to the driver, the passenger vomited “substantially” inside the car, just metres away from their drop-off point.
The driver also mentioned that the passenger appeared remorseful and even offered to help clean up the mess.
Speaking anonymously to MS News, the driver said they contacted the passenger’s mother immediately after the incident and offered two options.
Source: MS News Reader
The first was a private settlement of S$100 for him to arrange cleaning independently.
Meanwhile, the second involved an official reimbursement claim through Grab, which they said would cost S$120 or more at a professional workshop.
According to the driver, the passenger’s mother chose the official second option.
The driver, who has been driving exclusively with Grab since June 2024, claimed the incident happened while they were close to completing a 30-trip target tied to a S$70 Sunday incentive.
Source: Grab
At the time, they allegedly needed just one more completed trip to qualify.
They told MS News that sending the vehicle to a standard cleaning workshop would likely have resulted in at least “three hours of downtime”, including travelling and waiting time.
According to them, the delay would have affected their earnings and incentive payouts.
The driver also claimed they had to cancel their next assigned job because of the incident, which allegedly impacted their cancellation rate and streak incentives.
The driver shared that they previously operated a car grooming business and had experience professionally cleaning vehicle interiors.
Hence, instead of going to a workshop, they contacted a former colleague who lived nearby.
The driver said they subsequently submitted a claim for the maximum S$120 reimbursement under Grab’s cleaning fee policy.
However, Grab allegedly rejected the request because the receipt did not meet specific documentation requirements.
In screenshots seen by MS News, Grab’s support team allegedly stated that they were “unable to proceed with the claim without a valid receipt that meets the required criteria”.
Source: MS News Reader
The message reportedly added that the decision was “based solely on compliance requirements” as opposed to the driver’s integrity or the validity of their experience.
The driver said the issue was “not about the money”, but rather what they viewed as an unfair policy affecting private-hire drivers.
They argued that drivers who are capable of cleaning their vehicles professionally and efficiently should not be denied reimbursement simply because they did not use a formal workshop.
According to them, the current system allegedly places the burden entirely on drivers while passengers face no apparent penalties.
Source: Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
According to the driver, they intend to “accept whatever outcome” Grab decides on and does not plan to appeal the rejected claim.
They were, however, disappointed that the company allegedly did not address the broader concerns raised about its reimbursement policy.
The driver claimed they asked Grab to clarify its stance on questions raised in his appeal, but received no response to those points.
The driver hopes this incident will push ride-hailing platforms to review what they described as a “systemic failure” in the current claims process.
“I believe the decision in my case stems from departmental incompetence and is not truly representative of Grab’s core values.
“However, it is the driver pool that ultimately suffers the consequences,” they said.
MS News has reached out to Grab for comments.
Also read: Grab driver in S’pore accused of watching porn while driving, suspended for safety lapses
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Featured image adapted from MS News Reader and Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash.