'I was clearly alone': Grab passenger calls out 'dishonest' driver for charging $2 child seat fee

Despite having no children and travelling alone, a Grab passenger was charged $2 for a child booster seat. 

The unhappy passenger, Tan Loon Tze, took to Facebook on Wednesday (Oct 25) to air his grievances regarding a "dishonest" driver who had added the additional booster seat fee to his ride.

Tan shared on the Complaint Singapore Facebook page that he was alone when he booked a JustGrab ride from Tavistock Avenue in Serangoon Gardens to Alkaff Crescent on Monday afternoon.

Puzzled by the extra $2 charge listed under 'others' in his receipt, he later contacted customer support to dispute the fee.

However, he was told that the "additional surcharge was a valid charge of $2 for a booster seat as you were with a child less than 1.35m tall".

"I was clearly alone, did not make any such request when booking and also do not have any young children," Tan wrote.

He continued: "This is not the way to make extra cash, and I am very sure that this will not have been the first time he has tried to do this and gotten away with it with unsuspecting customers who do not check their email receipts properly."

'Really sneaky'

Speaking to AsiaOne, Tan, 42, shared that he is a piano teacher and was by himself when commuting to his next student's home located at Alkaff Crescent.

While en route to dinner after finishing his lesson with the student, Tan checked his emails and only noticed the extra charge then.

He told AsiaOne that the driver did not inform him about any additional charges for a booster seat during the ride, a move that he felt was "really sneaky".

Tan clarified that he has no children and did not book a GrabFamily car, which comes equipped with booster seats.

In addition, he also did not notice any booster seats in the driver's car and suggested that it was "probably in the boot, if the driver had any in the first place".

A comment left by Grab under Tan’s Facebook post stated that the team is currently investigating.

Based on Grab's guidelines in accordance to road traffic rules, children between 1m and 1.35m tall are required to be strapped into booster seats during the ride.

If drivers encounter passengers who do not have a GrabFamily booking, they should offer a booster seat, if available, and add a surcharge of $2 to the ride.

Drivers should also inform the passenger of this surcharge in advance.

AsiaOne has reached out to Grab for more information.

ALSO READ: Who's right? Grab driver tells woman she should bring own booster seat for kid; she calls him out

lim.kewei@asiaone.com