Bacolod Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez recently took his Tesla Model X for a spin around the city, as a GrabCar driver-partner, surprising unsuspecting passengers with a unique ride-hailing experience.
In a vlog posted on his official Facebook page, Benitez personally chauffeured three passengers, engaging them in conversations about their daily commute and the growing adoption of digital ride-hailing services in the city.
Mayor Albee shares: “As a public servant, I wanted to personally experience how ride-hailing drivers serve the riding public through digital platforms. It’s important for us, as leaders, to truly understand how these innovations are shaping the everyday lives of Bacolodnons.”
“By gathering real insights from the ground, we can find better ways to uplift our community. My day as a GrabCar driver gave me a deeper understanding of how ride-hailing can benefit, not only our drivers and operators, but also ensure safe, reliable transportation for all of us in Bacolod,” he added.
Insightful conversations with passengers
“Prank ba ‘to?,” Joy, who booked a ride home from a condominium along Upper East Avenue, remembered saying to herself. “I-cancel ko na sana kasi baka joke lang.”
And as the black Tesla pulled to the curb and Mayor Albee rolled down the window to reveal himself behind the wheel, Joy could only exclaim in excitement, “ay si mayor nga!”
“First time ako nakasakay sa Tesla, si Mayor pa ang driver. It is a privilege, Mayor!” Joy said embarrassingly from the backseat.
As a frequent Grab passenger, Joy told the mayor that aside from the convenience of hailing a ride from a mobile phone, she particularly likes the transparency around the fare as it is shown and calculated upfront upon ride booking.
The second booking was a two-stop ride for two passengers, who both worked for a call center on Burgos Avenue. Like Joy’s, the look on their faces as the Mayor flung open the Tesla’s door upwards was of a complete surprise.
“Seryoso? Si Mayor? Kala ko talaga prank. Pero ang Grab, di naman siguro maglahug-lahug,” passengers Theresse and Barbara recalled.
Also frequent Grab passengers, the women said they feel safer taking Grab than other modes of transportation. Safety is a high priority, especially for women who work at night in call centers, the ridesharing company said in a statement Oct. 10.
The conversation inside the vehicle as Mayor Albee was driving them to their destinations also gave him a peek into the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry from the perspective of Bacolod residents, who work in outsourcing.
The mayor welcomed the experience as a unique opportunity to talk to his constituents and listen to their concerns. “It’s great to be able to communicate sa aton mga constituents. Ang dami nilang kwento! Nakakatuwa!” Benitez said of his one-of-a-kind experience, as a mayor driving constituents in his personal car for Grab.
A salute for digital ride-hailing drivers
Going online as a GrabCar driver-partner during a rainy Monday evening at the onset of Typhoon Gener, Mayor Albee lauded driver-partners for their dedication and commitment to their profession.
The mayor noted how their service makes every day commutes for his citizens safer and more convenient, especially during inclement weather. “Ganito pala feeling maging Grab driver,” the mayor said in his vlog, calling the experience “fulfilling but also not easy…especially during bad weather.”
After spending an hour-and-a-half in the driver’s seat, the mayor made approximately P300 for the two bookings. “Not bad for a short amount of time,” he said, noting that being a ride-hailing driver is a viable livelihood opportunity for Bacolodnons.
Bacolod was the first city outside of Metro Manila to welcome GrabCar. From only 44 drivers when GrabCar first arrived in Feb. 2016, there are now more than 500 active driver-partners plying the roads of the city.
GrabCar now offers services beyond Bacolod, extending from Manapla to Bago, with plans to further expand to Escalante in the north, and Kabankalan in the south, the company said. ||
