Taxi Drivers don't have it easy
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Taxi drivers don't have it easy
SINGAPORE - My husband became a taxi driver two years ago.
Taxi drivers do not earn $7,000 a month, and most of them work between 12 and 14 hours daily - even on weekends and public holidays - just to earn enough to support their family.
Even if they are sick, they have to work as they will not have any income otherwise, and will still have to pay the taxi rental fee.
Cabbies are often at the mercy of inconsiderate passengers who will call for a taxi and then cancel the booking, in order to lure the cabby to their location without having to pay the surcharge.
Other passengers who call for a taxi just hop into the first one that along, and do not answer their phone when the driver responding to the call tries to contact them, leaving the driver waiting in vain.
Cases of taxi drivers being beaten up by drunk passengers have been reported too.
Sometimes, they meet fare cheats who claim they do not have enough cash on them and ask the taxi driver to wait while they go to an automated teller machine to withdraw cash, only to run off.
What can taxi drivers do about fare cheats? Most of the time, they just have to live with being cheated, as it would be difficult - or almost impossible - to find the cheats, and they would rather drive on in search of new passengers, rather than waste time making a police report and going through the lengthy procedure to make a claim with the taxi company.
Taxi drivers are considered self-employed, but they must still abide by the Land Transport Authority's (LTA's) minimum-mileage requirement, and their taxi company's rules and regulations.
Even in the event of complaints made by unreasonable passengers, they will be subject to disciplinary action.
I hope everyone can understand that there will definitely be some black sheep in each trade, and that not all taxi drivers are bad. They have the same mentality as other drivers on the road - they just want to be safe at the end of the day and to be with their family.
Please do not be so quick to judge when you see a taxi driver ferrying his family members, as he could have been driving for several hours before that and was just taking his family out for a meal.
Perhaps the LTA, National Taxi Association, taxi companies and other agencies should review policies to help taxi drivers.
Should they be considered self-employed? What can be done to protect the safety and interests of taxi drivers, without compromising service levels?
While giving out a handbook to cabbies might increase their safety awareness, more can be done.
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Another sad story...
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Being a taxi driver is a choice u make,no body force u,if cannot tahan time to change job,simple...
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Originally posted by getcarter:
Being a taxi driver is a choice u make,no body force u,if cannot tahan time to change job,simple...
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Originally posted by getcarter:
Being a taxi driver is a choice u make,no body force u,if cannot tahan time to change job,simple...
Well, you are right, but I will further want to qualify that the society, in a way, do play a part in given a choice.Therefore, the direction that one undertook taxi driving can also due to social issue and personal preferences.
Perhaps the author here only look and commented strictly base on TD trade alone, there are many other jobs that is below a TD earning and comfort zone. But due to people eyesights, which is alway above the water level, most fail to see their position in the society and ultimately, take it as a suffering one. But once you place your eyesight below the water level, you see more suffering of cleaners, operators and many other lower menial job that do not command a TD income and certainly, will do have the luxury of a TD freedom.
So, depend on where you want to compare in the society ladder, if you take a banker, of course, you feel like a beggar, but why choose to compare with a banker or manager, when you can compare to a security guards or cleaners?
However, the most important is not to compare, be who you are, where you are, and what you think that is fine with what you are, life will be a bliss and happy one. Comparing seek envy and jealousy, and in a trade of TD, it is not worth
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It is not about thick skin or dare to the different, as a TD, for those who have high egos and pride, you need to lower that expectation inorder to be a better TD and yet a happy one.
However, most TD uncles like to hold on to their egos and prides, which is right in a certainly sense, but holding it too high in a service industrial like TD, it not going do you any good, moderately will be fine.
Paxs taking taxis or bus is the same as comparing to eating at a airconditoned restuarant and kopitiam or hawker centre, they will tends to higher their expectation, egos and pride, and if a TD also uphold his egos and prides highly, then occasion like quarrelling and unhappiness between Pax and TD will happen, just like you see it in news and nets.
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Originally posted by getcarter:
Being a taxi driver is a choice u make,no body force u,if cannot tahan time to change job,simple...
it's a force that make me make a choice, like tat can i kpkb......... got to change job?
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Originally posted by Ct2220:
lol iam not preacher leh just sharing my view nia
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Originally posted by bowah:
Well, you are right, but I will further want to qualify that the society, in a way, do play a part in given a choice.Therefore, the direction that one undertook taxi driving can also due to social issue and personal preferences.
Perhaps the author here only look and commented strictly base on TD trade alone, there are many other jobs that is below a TD earning and comfort zone. But due to people eyesights, which is alway above the water level, most fail to see their position in the society and ultimately, take it as a suffering one. But once you place your eyesight below the water level, you see more suffering of cleaners, operators and many other lower menial job that do not command a TD income and certainly, will do have the luxury of a TD freedom.
So, depend on where you want to compare in the society ladder, if you take a banker, of course, you feel like a beggar, but why choose to compare with a banker or manager, when you can compare to a security guards or cleaners?
However, the most important is not to compare, be who you are, where you are, and what you think that is fine with what you are, life will be a bliss and happy one. Comparing seek envy and jealousy, and in a trade of TD, it is not worth
Well said,with high egos n pride it's v difficult to be a td n can't expect sympathy just bcoz u choose this trade,what abt others?
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Originally posted by OptimalTrans:
it's a force that make me make a choice, like tat can i kpkb......... got to change job?
K la don't say force but can say "choose" bo? u choose to be one but if everyday kpkb abt what u choose song meh? isn't it gd to change to something else which makes u happy? Cannot blame anyone
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Originally posted by getcarter:
K la don't say force but can say "choose" bo? u choose to be one but if everyday kpkb abt what u choose song meh? isn't it gd to change to something else which makes u happy? Cannot blame anyone
If one's nature is kpkb one, then do any job also no use. Will still kpkb.
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Originally posted by Taxilim88:
If one's nature is kpkb one, then do any job also no use. Will still kpkb.
No! No! No! Taiwan Gu (Cow in Hokkien), reached BJ become Niu.
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Originally posted by Ct2220:
No! No! No! Taiwan Gu (Cow in Hokkien), reached BJ become Niu.
At this
period, please state your sentence in full, especially....... bj
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Originally posted by getcarter:
Being a taxi driver is a choice u make,no body force u,if cannot tahan time to change job,simple...
Well, i think almost every job is a choice. No choice also a choice.
Thing is, we have to educate the public. No doubt there are black sheep in every trade, more so magnified in taxi driving industry.
Ask our tpt minister, smlj senior minister and minister of state for tpt to be super relief for 1 week, then relook the policies, rules and regulations. Before saying we have a choice.
When pax flag for cab along bus lane, shld TDs stop for them??? Some will stop and its becos of these TDs, pax will think its alright to flag along bus lane.
Pax:"uncle, infront U turn, faster"
TD:"ms, illegal leh"
Pax:"some TDs also do mah"
TD:" i kia si, dun want to kpkb after kena fine. Still want to carry on the journey? Or find a gung-ho TD? Your choice"
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No need to talk so much lah, taxi handbook kamlan one ar?
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Aiya, Taxi driving not bad lah, knn, not many job got the luxury to come here and post or chit chat over phone one hor, men are born naturally to change, evolve and adapt. If not you will still be a baby or a old man with a baby brain..lols
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20 min boss over 1 boss.
i take 20 min boss over 1 boss anyday
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Originally posted by Terry Young:
20 min boss over 1 boss.
i take 20 min boss over 1 boss anyday
Too long already.Our 756 from Coconut Tree to AP Only need 12 Minutes.
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Originally posted by Terry Young:
20 min boss over 1 boss.
i take 20 min boss over 1 boss anyday
Hahaha.. call pax boss. Reminds me of a story told by my TDVL lecturer. He says, if you got kuai lan pax, then just say "Yes Boss, Yes Boss". It goes like this:
When the body was first made, all the parts wanted to be Boss....
The brain said. "I should be Boss because I control the whole body's responses and functions." The feet said, "We should be Boss as we carry the brain about and get him to where he want to go." the hand said, "We should be the Boss because we do all the work and earn all the money."
And so it went on and on with the heart, the lungs and the eyes, until finally the asshole spoke up. All the parts laughed at the idea of asshole being the Boss. So the asshole went on strike, blocked itself up and refused to work. Within a short time, the eyes became crossed, the hands clenched, the feet twitched, the heart and lungs began to panic and the brain fevered. Eventually, they all decided that the asshole should be the Boss, so the motion was passed. All the other parts did all the work while the Boss just sat and passed out the shit.
Moral of the story.....
You don't need brains to be a Boss....any asshole will do! -
Originally posted by Samsun:
Well, i think almost every job is a choice. No choice also a choice.
Thing is, we have to educate the public. No doubt there are black sheep in every trade, more so magnified in taxi driving industry.
Ask our tpt minister, smlj senior minister and minister of state for tpt to be super relief for 1 week, then relook the policies, rules and regulations. Before saying we have a choice.
When pax flag for cab along bus lane, shld TDs stop for them??? Some will stop and its becos of these TDs, pax will think its alright to flag along bus lane.
Pax:"uncle, infront U turn, faster"
TD:"ms, illegal leh"
Pax:"some TDs also do mah"
TD:" i kia si, dun want to kpkb after kena fine. Still want to carry on the journey? Or find a gung-ho TD? Your choice"
Ya lor...is like Orchard Rd Outside Paragon..taxi no stopping for pax there but you waiting for light to turn green and pax run up to your taxi and board..like that how?? Tell pax here no board taxi, taxi stand just in front but they say you no stop for me what...I come up myself..
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Originally posted by Taxilim88:
Hahaha.. call pax boss. Reminds me of a story told by my TDVL lecturer. He says, if you got kuai lan pax, then just say "Yes Boss, Yes Boss". It goes like this:
When the body was first made, all the parts wanted to be Boss....
The brain said. "I should be Boss because I control the whole body's responses and functions." The feet said, "We should be Boss as we carry the brain about and get him to where he want to go." the hand said, "We should be the Boss because we do all the work and earn all the money."
And so it went on and on with the heart, the lungs and the eyes, until finally the asshole spoke up. All the parts laughed at the idea of asshole being the Boss. So the asshole went on strike, blocked itself up and refused to work. Within a short time, the eyes became crossed, the hands clenched, the feet twitched, the heart and lungs began to panic and the brain fevered. Eventually, they all decided that the asshole should be the Boss, so the motion was passed. All the other parts did all the work while the Boss just sat and passed out the shit.
Moral of the story.....
You don't need brains to be a Boss....any asshole will do!My TDVL lecturer tell the same story too...ha ha ha..but pax board taxi and call me boss and laugh mean what??
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6iOmFtjg4M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMb4PZuefyM
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Originally posted by Taxilim88:
Hahaha.. call pax boss. Reminds me of a story told by my TDVL lecturer. He says, if you got kuai lan pax, then just say "Yes Boss, Yes Boss". It goes like this:
When the body was first made, all the parts wanted to be Boss....
The brain said. "I should be Boss because I control the whole body's responses and functions." The feet said, "We should be Boss as we carry the brain about and get him to where he want to go." the hand said, "We should be the Boss because we do all the work and earn all the money."
And so it went on and on with the heart, the lungs and the eyes, until finally the asshole spoke up. All the parts laughed at the idea of asshole being the Boss. So the asshole went on strike, blocked itself up and refused to work. Within a short time, the eyes became crossed, the hands clenched, the feet twitched, the heart and lungs began to panic and the brain fevered. Eventually, they all decided that the asshole should be the Boss, so the motion was passed. All the other parts did all the work while the Boss just sat and passed out the shit.
Moral of the story.....
You don't need brains to be a Boss....any asshole will do!