Singaporean refutes commenter who called driving for Grab a ‘low-class’ job

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man took to TikTok to explain how every job deserves respect, no matter how others in society view it.

Seth Toh (@sethtzc), a digital creator and volleyball coach, said in an Aug 20 video that someone had commented that “driving Grab is a low-class job.”

He refuted this, explaining that, first of all, it’s an honest living.

Some people, including Mr Toh himself, drive for Grab as they are self-employed. As a volleyball coach, during times when he’s in between coaching gigs, he works as a Grab driver for extra income.

Others, he added, are entrepreneurs who need additional funds to pour into their businesses.

“In their free time, they drive Grab,” he said, adding that there are also retirees who have also done so in order to earn extra money.

“I think it’s a decent job and no one should be looking down on each other. Many people have already been retrenched. Some people have no choice but to come out and drive Grab to temporarily supplement the income for their family,” said Mr Toh.

For him, driving for Grab is in no way low-class, and every job deserves respect “as long as we’re not scamming or committing a crime.”

Many commenters agreed with the TikToker, with one underlining that being a Grab driver is hard work. 

“Long hours to make a decent income for our family in 1st world expensive Singapore,” wrote one.

“Low class? Well, we drive hard and long hours. We can earn more than many high-class jobs. At the end of the day, it's how much you earn,” another pointed out. 

“A relief taxi driver can earn from S$100 to S$200 per day...10 hrs per day & 5 days per week… S$4K plus per month,” a third chimed in. 

“It’s a decent job, but in the eyes of society, you’re ‘just a driver.’ Mentally, people see driving as low-status work — that’s the psychology, plain and simple. You could run a profitable company with 50 employees, but the moment you’re behind the wheel carrying a passenger — even someone who’s just a cleaner or office worker — they’ll still look down on you. Why? Because in their mind, they’re the one paying, so they’re the boss,” a commenter observed.

“An honest earning job is an honourable job. The issue here is not what we do; it is about mentality,” another agreed. /TISG

Read also: Just a Grab driver’: Parent files complaint over teacher’s alleged remark