When I first heard about the income opportunities provided by Grab, I was eager to join in.
In a highly competitive job market, I felt like it was my only viable option.
Little did I know that driving Grab would come with so many challenges and hardships.
I have been driving a Grab for the past two months. Every day, I wake up at 4 in the morning, start at 5 and then I drive for 16 hours straight and usually finish my shift at 9 in the evening.
I work for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, with no respite.
The long hours leave me exhausted and drained. I have to drive in all kinds of weather, often with little or no rest in between trips.
I also have to contend with many passengers who demand better service than what I can provide.
The long hours also take a toll on my health. I have back pain because of the long periods of sitting and the constant vibration of the car.
My eyesight has also suffered due to the long hours of driving. Stress and anxiety are also common, since I do not have a steady income and have to rely on tips from my Grab passengers.
To make matters worse, I sleep in my car. I have to park somewhere safe and try to get some rest in between my Grab trips.
This is not easy as I am constantly disturbed by the noise of passerbys.
I have tried to find a deskbound job instead of driving Grab but it has not been easy.
The only thing that keeps me going is the money that I can earn when driving Grab through the peak hour surge periods.