Okay, what’s the registration process like?
Now, just so you know... you have to invest a bit of money (like almost RM1,000) to get started because you're required to have a PSV license, EPV permit and e-haling insurance. Without these, you're not allowed to be on the road and operate. To know the process and cost breakdown, click here.| Requirements | Grab | MyCar |
|---|---|---|
| Online forms | You have to do it online. Fill up a form here. | You have to do it online. Fill up a form here. |
| Classes/Briefing session | Online, once the form is submitted. You'll receive a Powerpoint Slide with all the details and information you need to study. You will then perform a 20 minutes test online. |
Online, once you have been approved as a driver. You will receive an email with a learning guide after you have been approved as a driver. You can start driving right after. |
|
Documents required |
Once you passed your online test, you will submit:
|
Along with your registration form and questionnaire, you will submit:
|
|
Documents' verification
|
Can be done at all Grab kiosks The full location list is only disclosed to registering drivers, but here is a list for Klang Valley and Seremban. These kiosks are mostly situated at Petronas stations. A Grabber will process your application and activate your account immediately. |
Can be done at their HQ in Setia Alam. The address is 31-G,Jalan Setia Utama AT U13/AT, Setia Taipan 2, section U13, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor. |
| Vehicle/Driver requirements | Your car has to be less than 10 years old, and you will need to have a full driving license. Cars older than 7 years old may be subjected to a technical checkup before getting approval. | Your car has to be less than 10 years old, and you will need to have a full driving license. Cars older than 7 years old may be subjected to a technical checkup before getting approval. |
| Registration fee | None | None |
| Process time | A few hours | 3-7 days after document verification |
| Starter pack | RM20 in credit wallet This is the wallet they deduct their commission from, which means your first RM100 earned will be commission-free. |
None |
How much money can I make?
Fares
For both apps, drivers can earn about RM30 per hour of the ride (fare amount, cost and commission not included). To reach RM100, most drivers need to drive for 3 to 4 hours. A part-time driver who drives 2 to 3 hours per day or less than 20 hours per week can collect up to RM2,000 fare per month.Commission
Grab offers 20% of commission if you turn on your Auto Accept, and 25% if you don’t. Meanwhile, MyCar offers 15% commission for all their drivers.This means, if you reach RM100 of fares, the commission that will be deducted is as below:
- RM20 for Auto Accept Grab
- RM25 for non-Auto Accept Grab
- RM15 for MyCar
Incentives
Grab has many different incentives for many different situations, but the general one as of 26 November onwards is the Time Booster. You will receive a minimum fare per minute, which is 60 cents at Mega Peak hours, 55 cents for Ultra Peak, and 45 cents for Peak hours. Which means, if you took a 10 minutes ride that earn you RM5 fare during a Mega Peak hour, you will be given an incentive of RM1 as you are supposed to received RM6 (60 sen x 10 minutes). This high incentive is only applicable if you turn on Auto Accept. When turned off, you will receive lower Time Booster bonus.Other incentives are given for Airport rides, unmatched Grabshare rides (where you only receive 1 ride request for a 2 riders Grabshare system), and Cancellation Compensation.
MyCar currently has no incentives program at the moment. Sobs. But, rumour has it that this e-hailing service will start its incentive program next year. So, let’s wait and see.
What are the expenses that I need to take into account?
Driving for either Grab or MyCar sounds like a pretty straightforward thing, but as independent contractors (self-employed), rather than employees, you don’t qualify for traditional workplace benefits. So you must remember that you also need to pay for petrol, car maintenance which includes cleaning and other damages, and sweets or drinks for your riders (this is optional). Most drivers we talked to budgeted 50% of cost into their earnings - 20% for the commission, 15% for petrol and tolls, and 15% for maintenance and treats.
Another cost that you should consider would be the additional auto insurance coverage. Even if the company provides commercial insurance, this could only be during the app is on. When it’s not, there'll be a potential gap in coverage. If you get into an accident off-duty, and your car needs days to be repaired, that will mean days with no Grab/MyCar income!
Wah, so everything has to come from our pocket lah? Well, it’s a yes and no. Both e-haling services do provide some perks for the drivers:
- Grab allows claims up to RM150 for damage/mess done by passengers, but do not cover the obligatory cleaning.
- Grab rewards its drivers through the GrabAllStars programme, where you get discounts on retail products such as 5x Tesco Clubcard Points, free iFlix subscription, and Digi rebates. You will also enjoy some lifestyle benefits such as car servicing discounts, hair salon promos and buy-1-free-1 at any Ampang Superbowls. Your benefits depend on the tier you are in, so the more you drive, the more perks you get!
- MyCar may not have fancy perks for its drivers at the moment, but drivers can claim the fare in case the rider runs away without paying. Just make a police report and email it to MyCar to claim.
What about my safety as a driver?
Despite what Grab has been trying to do, some drivers do not feel like those features can help in times of danger. Female driver Atikah Amran shared, “I've been in a situation where male riders ask for my number or ask me personal questions while on the ride. If the rider took out a weapon or touched me at that moment, I can press the emergency button on the app, but the police will not be here immediately anyway.”
Meanwhile, Ayee Mazlan, a Grab and MyCar driver explained: “Grab has a list of phone numbers of police stations around your service area, and the toll-free 24/7 helpline could come in handy. MyCar is doing the same but it’s not as comprehensive yet. Grab also leaves reminders to me and riders to report harassment, to be safe, to share ride progress with friends and family, and multilingual support by providing translations for in-app correspondence.”
Atikah and other female drivers suggested that other female drivers to NOT drive past 7pm/8pm, to always inform someone of your whereabouts, and to be extra cautious and alert if you are driving a suspicious-looking rider. “People bring their freaks out when night comes. I had a drunk rider, a rider who wanted to transport 5 pots of food, and a rider who was weirdly talking about how he was almost kidnapped in his neighbourhood. All of them I picked up past 8 pm,” she added.
With the new government also, Grab will need to rearrange some of its company policy. 2019 onwards, Grab will need to add on extra insurances on its driver-partners, and drivers may also be required to sign up for a commercial driving license with Ministry of Transport.
On the other hand, MyCar is looking into strengthening its users' registration system to improve the safety of its drivers. We hope they will add on rider rating system like what Uber had!
What are the things that I should avoid (or I'll get banned)?
The last thing you need when you’re trying to start full/ part-time driving on Grab or MyCar is to get yourself banned or suspended. Grab provided a list of things they don’t want drivers to do here. From the list, you'll know that Grab takes their service very seriously - you can get a warning for something as simple as not keeping your car clean (which honestly, happens in ⅓ of all our Grab rides. We are just too nice to drop them a low star).
Although MyCar doesn't have a clear list out there, the drivers we talked to said pretty much the same rules apply. If you repeat any of the mistakes, you will get a heavier punishment after that, i.e. 3 days suspensions, 5 days suspension, and lastly, banned.
When banned, you may appeal to get unbanned depending on Grab/MyCar decisions. Overall, both apps DO NOT tolerate some things, such as:
- Security or safety misconduct
- Bad driving records with JPJ, PDRM, etc
- Repeatedly getting banned
Any driving tips & tricks?
Most drivers will advise you to drive in the suburbs during peak hours to get more rides. Grab drivers get 4 to 5 pings (ride requests) per hour, while MyCar drivers may not get any on non-peak hours. “With MyCar, you depend a lot on luck to get riders,” said driver Ayee Mazlan. In general, there are some pings for both apps, as Grab has an established name among the users, while MyCar offers a much lower ride fare.Most drivers like to drive in busy areas such as PJ, Bangsar, Mont Kiara, and Sunway. Although KL is good too, the traffic can be quite stressful, even at non-peak hours.
Driver Ahmad Taufiq who drives full-time told us about how he wasted 1 hour on a ride because of GPS’s malfunction. “I was dropping off 4 customers from KL Tower area to KLCC on a weekday rush hour, and it took me almost 1 hour! The GPS was down due to the rain, even my customers’ Maps and Waze didn't work. They were from out of town and I did not know KL City’s road that well, and we had to drive around until we found the way.”
Besides that, you may think you need to brush up your small talk skills once you become a driver, but not necessarily. Most riders will start the conversation if they really want to talk - so you just need to pose an introductory question at the start of the ride, such as “Is the aircon level ok for you?” or reconfirm their destination, and then not start any new conversations, unless the riders do so first.
Lastly, keep your car clean and smelling fresh the way you would feel comfortable in. Although not many drivers provide drinks or snacks, it does get you 5-star ratings easily! Ahmad said these will only cost you less than RM10 anyways. “Only 1 out of 5 customers will take a sweet or grab mineral water from the car, so the treats cost is minor and I don’t see why shouldn’t all drivers provide it,” he added.
So, which is better? Grab or MyCar?
Looking at the above details, Grab seems to have the upper hand. Although MyCar has cheaper fares, it also means lower commissions than Grab. Plus, the activities may not be as often as Grab. Having said that, many drivers prefer the user interface of MyCar as it is similar to Uber. Nevertheless, there are lots of technical issues and lags that needs to be improved. But hey, Grab used to face this kind of issues when they first started as MyTeksi. Remember?To know which is better, maybe you should give both a try and see if it fits your need and situation - different people, different experience. And if you need more insiders insight, you can check out various community groups on Facebook for Grab, MyCar, Uber, Dacsee, and other e-hailing apps drivers. A couple of them are MyCar / Grab car & DACSEE driver community in malaysia and DACSEE | GRAB | MyCar Community Malaysia. These groups share personal stories and tips on driving and making the best out of your driving life.
Good luck!
READ: Grab VS MyCar: Which One Is More Cost-Effective & Functional?
