A Grab driver in Singapore has been temporarily suspended from working after he tried to charge a passenger an extra S$5 just for using the air-conditioning. This action goes against Grab’s rules for drivers. The company took quick action after the passenger complained.
The incident happened on July 18, 2025, when a passenger named Dominic was taking a Grab ride from Orchard to Bencoolen. During the trip, Dominic simply asked the driver to turn on the air-conditioning.
After the ride was over, the driver sent a message through the Grab app, stating that he had added an extra S$5 to the fare, calling it as a charge for “VIP treatment.” However, he had never talked about or agreed to any extra fees during his journey. There was no mention of a special air-conditioning fee at any point before or during the ride.
Dominic realised that this extra charge was wrong, so he decided to tell the driver that he would report him to Grab. He replied to Dominic’s warning in a way that showed he did not take it seriously.
A spokesperson for Grab later confirmed what Dominic already suspected: charging passengers extra money for using the air-conditioning is strictly against their rules. They have a clear “driver-partner code of conduct,” and this action broke that code.
They temporarily stopped the driver’s account for his unfair act during the ride. Also, the full S$5 surcharge was later returned to the passenger.
