GRAB and taxi drivers have resorted to taking up part-time jobs in order to survive and provide for their families as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to ravage the country. 

Since early this year, with the constant lockdowns, the drivers lament that their income has plummeted drastically, some seeing a drop of up to 80%.

This has caused a major strain on their main source of income, pushing them to look for side businesses to pull through. 

Grab driver Azlina Shukri, 40 said that it has been a struggle trying to earn enough in the last few months with the constant lockdowns. 

“To earn RM100 it takes 12 hours a day now, compared with before the pandemic where we can earn about RM500 for eight hours of work.  

“Previously there were a lot of rides, but now there are no tourists and people are more cautious in going out,” she told The Malaysian Insight. 

The single mother, who has three children aged 16, 13 and 10, said she also needs to take care of her health.

“It’s very tiring to be constantly on the road in the car for long hours just to get RM100. 

“Minus RM30 for fuel, I’m only left with RM70. My income has dropped to about 80%.” 

She said during her rounds, she only stopped to perform prayers and to eat. 

“Sometimes on a bad day, I can only earn RM30.” 

Azlina said that with the current situation, she can’t depend solely on Grab to survive and has resorted to other delivery platforms. 

“That’s why I’m on other apps that do delivery such as Lalamove, Mr Speedy and others. 

“However, even with all these apps, there is not much business. I start at 8.30am and sometimes, I have to wait for an hour before getting any jobs. 

“I can sometimes get RM30 or more. It’s quite challenging because others are doing it.” 

Azlina, who stays in Sg Besi, said she has to work long hours to be able to pay rental, groceries and utility bills. 

“As for the RM500 one-off aid given by the government, it did help a bit. But, it was all used up for groceries.” 

Another Grab driver, Azril Ahmat, 36, said his pickups have dropped by 80% since the second lockdown. 

“To get even RM150 for 12 hours of work was very difficult. To make ends meet, I resorted to doing runner jobs for the Road Transport Department and Puspakom.

“I go out sometimes at 4am until 7pm. Sometimes I can get as low as RM50 a day.” 

Azril, who stays in Kepong, said with the current lockdown and despite many sectors still open, there were not many pickups because people were hardly going out. 

“Most people are doing their shoppings online. So, it is most difficult to even think of going back to pre-pandemic days. 

“Now, for eight hours of work, I can get about RM80. But, it’s not consistent.” 

Azril, who has a one-year-old child, said he was doing delivery services with other companies to earn extra income. 

“My monthly commitment is for rental, groceries, baby formula, diapers, utility bills and insurance.

“My income is just enough to cover the basic expenses and nothing more.” 

He said the Pemerkasa one-off aid of RM500 was helpful, but it didn’t last long. 

“Some of the funds I used for groceries and the rest I saved for an emergency but that is all used up now.” 

Last month, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced that under the Pemerkasa Plus financial package, around 62,000 hired car and e-hailing drivers alongside 40,000 taxi drivers will receive a RM500 one-off cash aid. 

The country’s total lockdown began on June 1 and was supposed to last until June 14, but has now been extended twice. 

Muhiyiddin said the lockdown – now recategorised as phase one of the National Recovery Plan – will continue until the threshold value of new Covid-19 cases reported a day drops to less than 4,000, 10% of the population vaccinated and hospitals are not over-stressed. 

On July 1, Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that several sub-districts and localities in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur would be placed under the enhanced movement-control order for two weeks from July 3 to 16. 

This means all routes in the EMCO areas would be closed and controlled by the police.

Difficult times ahead

Grab Drivers Malaysia Association president Arif Asyraf Ali said it was not easy for the drivers to earn a living under the current situation. 

He said that on average the drivers’ income has dropped by more than 50% but some have been hit even harder. 

“All drivers are struggling and we are trying our best to earn a living. 

“On average they now earn about RM50 to RM70. If they get more than they are considered lucky.” 

Arif said that most drivers were still doing pickups, but those who have bigger commitments have resorted to doing part-time jobs. 

“Some have bigger commitments, such as car payments, house rental, utility bills, food for their children and taking care of their parents. 

“So, with the slowdown in rides, they have no choice but to look for other income.” 

Arif said some drivers have gone into goods delivery, while others were doing home-cooked food and other odd jobs. 

He said that while the government has given a one-off aid of RM500 to the drivers, it was still not enough to help them get by. 

“We hope that the government can give another round of RM500 in the next few months, so the drivers can still survive.”

Taxi drivers in dilemma

Taxi driver Mohamed Rassaie Rasol, 40, meanwhile said that his income has dropped by more than 80% since the lockdowns. 

“With the continuous lockdowns it’s hard to survive. Previously we could make up to RM120 a day but now even RM20 is hard to get.” 

Rassaie said that most of his income goes into caring for his three children aged five, seven and nine. 

“We stay in the Seri Jaya low-cost flats. The rent is not high, but I have to think about other expenses. 

“If I don’t work for a day, then it will be difficult to put food on the table.” 

He said that in order to survive he was currently doing part-time delivery services. 

Another driver, Suzudi Hassan, 39, said while his income had been affected since last year, he was still able to earn a living. 

“Last year, before the first lockdown in March, we could get about RM120 to RM130. 

“This year it’s harder to survive and to even get RM20 is difficult. Income has dropped by 95%.” 

Suzudi, who has four children aged six, 11, 12 and 15 said that he has used up all his savings. 

“We are trying to manage for now. We got enough for food and for rental we can negotiate with the landlord who is understanding.” 

He said that his part-time business was delivering home-cooked food to residents around his area in Bandar Tasik Puteri Rawang. 

“Sometimes, I can make about RM20 to RM50. But, it all depends on the demand.“ 

Suzudi said that while he was grateful for the one-off RM500 from Pemerkasa Plus, he hoped the government can look into giving monthly aid for the taxi drivers until the pandemic subsides. – July 6, 2021.