Singapore Grab driver says he sometimes gives free rides to brighten people’s darkest days
If you ever catch a ride with 50-year-old Grab driver Pang Zi Wei, you might think you’ve entered a mobile café, or maybe a therapy room with potted plants.
The car’s interior is spotless, cosy, and alive with thoughtful touches. One compartment behind his front seats contains candies for a sweet refreshment, and another stores snacks to curb hunger.
There are also charging cables neatly clipped near every seat, fans blowing soft air, tissue boxes, water bottles, and even a small bin for trash.
Every detail is intentional — and everything is free.
Grab driver just wants to ‘brighten people’s day’
Speaking to MS News, Mr Pang said he just wants to “brighten people’s day”, adding:
Then they go home and brighten their family’s day. I want us to all pass the love on.
Twice a day, he opens his boot to restock: once in the morning and once in the evening.
He does not have a fixed list of items to restock — just whatever catches his eye at the minimart.
“When I see that the candy is very interesting, then I will buy. I have no budget,” he said with a smile, adding that he just wants to make people happy.
From telecoms stress to tranquil rides as Grab driver
Before he started driving, Mr Pang worked in telecommunications, setting up mobile networks for major telcos such as Singtel and M1.
He had a stable income, a company vehicle, and a boss who guided him, but also constant pressure, middle-of-the-night work calls, and creeping exhaustion.
“I was so stressed that sometimes at night, I would start sweating when my phone rang,” he said.
When his boss retired, he took it as a sign to leave too, saying: “I also retire [from that job]. I want to live longer.”
With that, he quit and became a private-hire driver nearly 10 years ago.
Since then, he’s been behind the wheel — but this time, on his own terms.
“No stress. No pressure. Just be happy,” he said. “Now I can sleep well. Shut down my brain. That’s something money cannot buy.”
‘Stay humble, always be No. 2’
When one of Mr Pang’s rides was documented by a passenger on Facebook on 27 May, the post quickly went viral.
The netizen shared her amazement at Mr Pang’s setup — from bottled water to sweets and his surprisingly deep insights about life.
Source: Facebook
“Downgrade your house, downgrade your career, downgrade your lifestyle,” he had told her, adding:
Stay humble. Always No. 2. Then you stay safe. Everyone goes after No. 1.
When we asked him where these quotes came from, Mr Pang simply shrugged.
“I just know everything,” he said, laughing.
But there’s wisdom behind the jokes. His philosophy is derived from listening — years of hearing passengers open up about stress, retrenchment, and burnout have shaped how he sees life.
He explained that the “always No. 2” mantra came from behaving humbly towards others so they do not see you as competition and attempt to target you.
When we asked him how he formulated his credo of being lowkey and having a simple life with a simple lifestyle with no drama or disputes, he dispensed another pearl of wisdom.
“You must know what life is really all about. Life is very beautiful. Just don’t think so much,” said Mr Pang.
‘One good deed a day can brighten a life’: Grab driver says he gives free rides
Not every passenger who steps into Mr Pang’s car is cheerful.
He recalls some who have broken down mid-ride, and office workers burnt out from endless overtime.
There were also parents rushing from work to pick up their kids, only to be scolded for being late — and elderly people on their way to the hospital alone.
Sometimes, they share their struggles with him, and if Mr Pang senses they’re in a rough spot — jobless, down on luck, or just weighed down — he acts.
He gives them a free ride, quietly, without fuss.
If they had paid by card via the app, he gives the funds back to them in cash, even if he ends up refunding them more than he had received.
“Why not give them a free ride to brighten their day in their darkest night?” he said.
Even when passengers abuse his kindness — stealing cables, messing up the seats, or even abusing his plants — he stays calm.
“I just smile. People might have a bad day, bad luck. That’s why they don’t know how to destress,” said Mr Pang.
The driver does not expect returns. He does not track who pays it forward or who does not, and is instead convinced that “down the road, surely there will be one who will pass the love on”.
‘Our greatest enemy is ourselves’
Thus, his car isn’t just a way to get from point A to point B — it’s a moving safe space.
Some passengers talk. Some stay silent. Some ask why he bothers.
He doesn’t try to convert anyone. But he does leave them thinking.
“Our enemy is not an enemy. Our greatest enemy is ourselves,” he said when we asked why he put in so much effort, questioning the potential financial implications to him. “If you think you can do it, you will do it. Don’t overthink so much.”
Grab driver sees customer service differently
Mr Pang is aware that his approach isn’t common. Many drivers focus on efficiency, ratings, and earnings.
However, he insists that if you think only of profit, something gets lost. “If you link customer service with dollars, you won’t do it well,” he said.
Instead, he sees every passenger as someone’s friend, parent, or sibling, he added, explaining:
Imagine if the person you help is one of your family members next time. You also want people to treat your family well, right?
So he believes in effort — showing up for people, even for just 20 minutes.
“If you never take the first step, how do you expect people to take the second step?” he asked. “Everything starts from you.”
‘I’m still here because I’m happy’
Mr Pang isn’t sure how long he’ll keep driving, but for now, he’s content.
“I’m still here because I’m happy,” he said. “As long as I can brighten people’s day, I will continue.”
His car may not be flashy, and his clothes may be simple, but for the people who have sat in his backseat, something changes.
They leave with a piece of his calm, a sweet in their pocket, and a story they’ll tell someone else.
And sometimes, maybe, a little more belief in goodness.
A Singapore driver’s philosophy to life
In closing, we asked Mr Pang what advice he would give to someone unhappy at work or lost in life. His answer was both philosophical and practical.
“Either you change your life, or you change your career,” he said.
“Go to your room. Take A4 paper. Write: If I am God, what would I do? Then you write answers. Downgrade your house, career, lifestyle.”
If you meet angry people, just smile, and one day, their demon will melt, he said, adding:
Don’t think too much. Just accept and move forward. If you believe in miracles, miracles shall appear.
Ending with his signature mantra, he concluded: “And don’t forget — stay No. 2. Then you’ll be safe.”
Also read: ‘God-tier’ PHV driver in S’pore provides free snacks & fan, sends well wishes to customer
‘God-tier’ PHV driver in S’pore provides free snacks & fan, sends well wishes to customer
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Featured image from MS News.
