Ride-hailing users struggle with Tet rush

"[Recently] I used two phones to book rides on every app, but it still took forever to get a seven-seat taxi," the 43-year-old, who lives on Lo Duc Street in Hanoi, says. The nine-day New Year break begins Saturday.

Even after successfully booking a ride, her wait was far from over. A driver just a kilometer away canceled after 15 minutes saying he could not make it in the heavy traffic.

Her family eventually boarded a taxi after nearly an hour, but their 2.5-kilometer trip to Le Duan Street, which normally takes 15 minutes, took 1.5 hours due to gridlock.

The constant struggle has upended her daily routine, forcing her to allocate at least an extra 15 minutes for travel. "Smog, pollution and constant traffic jams make every trip feel like a battle," she says.

For urban residents, these challenges have become routine over the last two weeks. Alongside limited ride availability, fares have skyrocketed.

Trong Hung in the capital’s Bac Tu Liem District experienced the steep price hike firsthand. Planning a trip from his apartment on Pham Van Dong Street to Hoan Kiem Lake with two friends, he canceled his initial booking when the app quoted a fare of VND455,000 (US$19) for the 10-kilometer journey, or three times the usual amount.

He split the trip into two bookings, and paid VND280,000 in total. "It was time-consuming," he says.

Drivers have also voiced frustration, noting that the more congested the roads become, the higher the fares, sometimes two or three times the usual rate.

"I charged VND130,000 for a trip that normally costs VND50,000," one taxi driver shares. "I couldn’t even look my customer in the eye."

Ride-hailing users and drivers in big cities have struggled with Tet rush, traffic woes. Photo by Nga Thanh

In HCMC, the problems extend to delivery services. Phuong Tra, a shop owner in District 9, says delayed deliveries during the year-end shopping rush have disrupted her business.

"Booking a delivery feels like playing the lottery. Even when I secure one, drivers often cancel, and the fares fluctuate constantly."

On some days orders placed early in the morning were rescheduled for delivery the next day.

To ensure timely service she switched to express delivery options with a two-hour window, costing VND60,000–90,000 per order. "Whatever profit I make goes straight into covering delivery fees," she says.

Social media has been flooded with complaints about ride-hailing difficulties. Users have reported missing year-end events due to drivers’ failure to make it, spending hours trying to secure rides.

A VnExpress survey of drivers in Hanoi, HCMC and Bien Hoa (Dong Nai Province) found that severe traffic congestion in urban areas is a key factor in causing the crisis.

"Traffic jams make it impossible to operate efficiently," a driver in Bien Hoa who moved from HCMC to escape the gridlock says. "The fares just don’t justify the effort."

Ride-hailing giant Grab has acknowledged the increased demand as Tet approaches, particularly during peak evening hours and weekends. "We regret that some users have faced difficulties booking rides during this period," a Grab spokesperson says.

To address the issue, the company has introduced bonuses and incentives for drivers to encourage more activity.

Promotional offers for users are also being rolled out, with discounts available in the "My Rewards" section of the app.