Fake GrabBike drivers run rampant in Hanoi They may have the correct uniform, but they are not the real GrabBike drivers   Fake GrabBike drivers at Giap Bat Bus Station in Hanoi. Photo: Tuoi Tre A number of fake GrabBike drivers have been spotted in front of major bus stations in Hanoi. These bogus GrabBike drivers may be equipped with the company’s signature green jackets and helmets, but their operation, as well as fare, is not necessarily similar to the real ones. According to the observation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters, many drivers of the ride-hailing service gathered at the entrance of Giap Bat Bus Station on Saturday morning. Among them, several men dressed in the firm’s uniform, instead of waiting for customers to book a ride via the Grab app, flocked to the gate whenever a group of passengers exited the venue. They would do anything to snatch themselves a customer, including grabbing the passengers’ arms and luggage and pulling them toward their motorbikes. However, these bogus drivers can easily be identified by their poor manners, lack of smartphones, and exorbitant fares, T., a real GrabBike driver, highlighted. These wannabes often operate at one specific location, T. added. “Many of these fakers previously work as conventional motorbike taxi drivers. They somehow managed to obtain Grab’s uniforms and helmets,” he continued. T. proved his saying by pointing out the significant drop in the number of ‘xe om’ drivers in front of Giap Bat, as well as other bus stations in the capital, namely My Dinh, Nuoc Ngam, and Yen Nghia. These locations are now filled with green-jacket men, he stated. Several real GrabBike drivers have also unwittingly exacerbated the problem, T. emphasized. Some drivers decided to turn off their app and pick up passengers the traditional way due to low demand, while others refuse to pick up customers as the fare is too cheap. A GrabBike driver on Kim Dong Street admitted he had canceled multiple rides on Saturday morning for such reason. “I know it is against the company’s regulations, but there is no other way to improve my income,” he said. “We have to pay commission to the firm if a ride is booked via their app. This will not happen if we pick up passengers the conventional way,” the driver continued. By Duy Khang / Tuoi Tre News