Raise your hand (or groan in frustration) if you’ve been having an extra hard time booking ride-hailing services these days. You’re not alone. An increasing number of Pinoys are complaining on social media about having to wait more than an hour to get a driver match. And this isn’t just with one app! Many simultaneously fire up their Joyride, Angkas, or Grab apps and still get zero results. What is going on?

Error 404: Drivers not found

Filipinos are left wondering if there’s a shortage of drivers on the road or if they’re all booked and busy ferrying thousands of passengers. Try booking one and you’ll be subjected to a frustratingly long wait.

“Kung ayaw niyo magpasakay, magsara na kayo @grabph, @angkas, @joyridephl,” said one netizen.

“Kahit may pera ka pamasahe, wala pa rin ma book sa Grab, seryoso ba ‘to? Paano kung emergency tong booking na ‘to?” said another.

Many were disappointed about the fact that these apps promised transportation convenience for Pinoys but the opposite is happening.

“Using @angkas and @joyridephl is no longer convenient, buong pilipinas ata naka Joyride/Angkas na, kamusta transpo system ng Pinas?” tweeted a netizen.

Even reporter Atom Araullo had to tweet his frustrations. Araullo recently shared how it took him almost two hours to book a Grab from the airport. It would’ve taken him longer to get home if he lined up at the taxi stand.

Update: was able to book Grab after a little less than 2 hrs. Setting the pick up location to the departures area (T2) worked. Traffic nalang problema, hehe. Wawa yung mga nakapila pa sa taxi though, madalang talaga dating ng mga sasakyan. Salamat sa thoughts and prayers! 🥲 pic.twitter.com/0QNktBp51P

— Atom Araullo (@atomaraullo) December 9, 2022

Are there app glitches?

Pinoys on Reddit are complaining about the same lack of drivers for ride-hailing services. One comment said that sometimes the rider app could “get glitchy” and drivers don’t receive booking requests.

“Parang glitchy din yung rider app. [My] partner is an Angkas rider, madalas nakatambay daw siya ng sobrang tagal, kakahintay ng booking. May times din na kapag may pumasok, 4 km naman ang layo sa kanila to pickup point, tapos may madadaanan pa siyang mga kapwa rider na mga nakatambay sa malapit sa pickup point,” read the comment.

Many Angkas and Joyride customers have also complained about sudden booking cancelations. Some even experience the opposite — they canceled a booking but it still pushed through, creating problems for both rider and driver.

All of these folks want one thing: A seamless app that works and a system that’s true to its promise of convenience.

Is habal-habal the new king?

You’ll often see many Joyride and Angkas riders relaxing on the side of the road seemingly waiting for a booking when you can’t even find a match. As some have pointed out, it could be a system glitch but some customers have other suspicions.

According to these netizens, some riders are aware of how difficult it is to go home during rush hour and they capitalize on that desperation through an illegal habal-habal system. One Redditor wrote:

“From what I heard with talking to Angkas drivers, they turn off their apps/phones during the rush hour or high traffic area to attract riders that will patronize their habal services which is much higher than the Angkas rate. Diskarte yan nga mga bikers minsan kaya mahirap magbook or just the app itself.”

But we don’t need to tell you how that method comes with dangers and disadvantages.

For one, habal-habal fares are through the roof — many Pinoys have complained that they get charged double what the Angkas or Joyride app sets. Passengers are also not insured in a habal-habal arrangement. If the rider is met with an accident, they won’t have the insurance protection Angkas and Joyride provides.

“Sasabihin ng riders ‘diskarte lang po’ pero sa gawaing yan, dinadaya nila yung app na nagbigay ng trabaho sa kanila. May mga FB group naman para sa mga ayaw sa app,” said another dismayed Redditor.

Habal isn’t new. Whenever patrons can’t book an Angkas, Joyride, or Grab, their last resort is to post on Facebook groups like ANGKAS Riders And Passengers GROUP Philippines. Random drivers near their area will comment and they will discuss the fees through Facebook Messenger. But that’s what it’s supposed to be — the last resort and not the norm.

The Internet is justifiably upset

Not to upset your further but if Angkas, Joyride, and Grab are faulty and habal-habal and regular taxi drivers charge extra, where should Filipinos turn to? Hour-long lines just to get on the MRT, jeep, and bus? If bawling in the middle of the street is acceptable behavior, we’re convinced many adults would be doing that.

Philippines transpo challenge Level 3000.

Eat or be eaten. Pay an overpriced fare or get stuck in line for hours.

Cue heavy traffic (and cue my tears).

Looking for alternatives

Public transportation in the Philippines is nothing short of hellish. After enduring 8 hours at work and wanting nothing more than to chill at home with your family, the lack of transportation options can drive anyone mad. Mobility isn’t Manila’s strongest suit and the ride-hailing apps that Pinoys hoped would save them are now slowly becoming unreliable. So what can one do?

Here are some options:

Arrange for a “hatid-sundo service” with a driver

Some customers use their apps to match with drivers and have them ferried to and from work. It’s a good idea, especially if you’ve got a routine schedule. This way, drivers also get 100% of the payment.

Download another app

Aside from the usual Angkas, Joyride, and Grab, Pinoys are suggesting others download the Move It app. It’s available on both iOS and Android. Move It isn’t exactly new — they’ve been around pre-pandemic — but it seems as if not many people use them. Patrons also report that their prices are much lower than others which makes their glaring red interface endurable.

Consider buying a bicycle or an electric scooter

Put your bonus to good use and invest in a reliable mode of transportation. Bikes and e-scooters can help you get home faster. Plus, they’re cheaper in the long run too.

Wait out the season

If the horrible carmageddon isn’t enough to convince you to stay home, maybe the fact that we’re still in the middle of the pandemic will. Malls are once again drawing crowds of thousands doing last-minute Christmas shopping. Everyone is outside! So do the opposite and stay home. It won’t just spare you from the stress of figuring out how to get from point A to point B, it’ll also save you time and money.

Ask authorities for a better transportation system

Filipinos are resilient but this is too much. We need a better transport system and better rules and regulations for drivers going rogue. We also need more options in the market to encourage healthy fare competition (we miss Uber, obviously). How about that for a Christmas wish?

Are you also having a hard time booking Angkas, Joyride, or Grab? Share your experience in the comments!

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