For a taxi driver, a key survival skill is knowing where to find
customers. As far as possible, a driver should know the routes at
his or her fingertips. Hence, in this 6th instalment of Taxi Talks,
I would like to share with you the top eight sweet spots (lucrative
routes). They are:
#1: Changi Airport
Changi Airport is the world’s 7th busiest airport for international
passenger traffic with 51 million passengers moving in and out of
the airport via its three terminals. It is served by over 100
airlines with about 6,300 weekly scheduled flights to some 220
cities in 60 countries. Hence, the terminals at Changi Airport are
one of the busiest and most popular for taxi drivers.
Here’s the “profile” of each terminal:
T1 – mostly international flights by airlines like Qantas, China
Airways, Delta, Thai Airways and budget airlines like AirAsia,
JetStar and Lion Air.
T2 – regional airlines like Singapore Airlines, with the inclusion
of budget airlines like Scoot, Tiger Airways and Cebu Pacific
Air.
T3 – mostly international airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Jet
Airways and United.
The demand for taxis is high – 24x7 for all 365 days of the year.
On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, you’ll see long queues of taxis
at most terminals. The waiting time for a passenger can be as short
as five minutes or as long as 90 minutes.
What are the factors that entice taxi drivers to queue at the
airport? Firstly, drivers can earn a surcharge of $3 for all
journeys starting from the airport. On Fridays, Saturdays and
Sundays, this surcharge is $5 from 5pm to midnight. The typical
fare for a single journey is usually higher. They range from $13.00
to $60++ (from Changi Airport to Pasir Ris and to Jurong West
respectively). The fare is, of course, subjected to the type of
taxis, traffic condition and weather.
For limousine taxis, typical charges for airport transfers are
between $55 and $65, depending on the type of vehicle. “Airport
transfer” means that a driver will be waiting at the airport
arrival area with a flip pad showing the names of passenger(s) and
flight number. Upon arrival, the driver will bring the passenger(s)
to his cab, load up their luggage and drive them to the correct
destination.
In a typical day, taxi drives earn an average of $20 per hour
(inclusive of petrol and rental). Based on this, it is indeed
worthwhile for a driver to queue at the airport for a fare. At the
same time, they can take a break and catch up with fellow
cabbies.
#2: Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) and Marina Bay Sands
(MBS)
The opening of the Integrated Resorts (IRs) in 2010 has created
substantial employment for both locals and foreigners, and
generated millions of tourism dollars. It has also benefited the
taxi industry as well.
Here is the breakdown of extra surcharges a driver stand to earn if
her or she picks up passengers at the IRs:
At RWS – The taxi surcharge is $3 regardless of time or day.
Similar surcharges of $3 are applicable at RWS hotels. The presence
of Universal Studios, which is popular with families, has also
further enhanced the demand for taxis at RWS.
At MBS – The taxi surcharge of $3 is applicable between 5pm and
midnight on weekdays and on weekends, it follows the fee that’s
charged within the CBD boundaries.
#3: Key tourist attractions
Popular tourist attractions not only attract visitors but also taxi
drivers looking for better returns. At the 165m-tall Singapore
Flyer, the world’s largest, drivers picking up fares between 5pm
and midnight can earn an extra $3 (CBD surcharge).
At nearby Gardens by the Bay, drivers can earn a surcharge of $3
form any passenger who starts his or her journey there.
Although journeys from the ever-popular Singapore Zoo/Night
Safari/River Safari do not attract a surcharge, drivers still queue
for a fare at these attractions because of the high potential of
getting single fares of more than $20. This occurs when passengers
ask to be driven to downtown hotels or shopping centres.
Other attractions with good fares include the Science Centre,
Chinatown, Little India and the Singapore Botanical Gardens.
#4: Central Business District
One of the premier locations for many taxi drivers, the CBD is
generally demarcated by Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) gantries. A
surcharge of $3 is applicable for trips starting within the CBD
during the 5pm to midnight slot daily. From 6pm to midnight,
there’s also a 25 per cent fare loading. The potential for good
returns is high, despite the various ERP charges. Be smart and save
by learning the ERP schedule.
Many key hotels (Ritz-Carlton, Mandarin Oriental, Amara Hotel, M
Hotel and others), shopping malls (Marina Square, Raffles City,
Millenia Walk and others), offices and hospitals are located within
the larger CBD area. This contributes to the passenger pool.
#5: Orchard Road
Our renowned Orchard Road – stretching from Tanglin Mall to Plaza
Singapura – is a shopping paradise. Malls and buildings in the
area, like Wisma Atria, Takashimaya, Tangs and Lucky Plaza, have
undergone many transformations and renovations. All these are done
to keep the strip fresh and attractive to both locals and tourists.
One must head to Orchard Road during the Great Singapore Sale,
which is usually held between May and July, to really feel its
buzz.
You will see many taxis of different shapes, sizes and colours
plying this lucrative area, which contains some areas that attract
a surcharge of $3 (areas bounded by ERP gantries) and 25 per cent
fare loading.
#6: Tier 2 spots
Other areas outside the CBD area where taxis are often seen queuing
for passengers are usually the “sure got customers” areas. These
include hotels on the perimeter of the CBD such as Furama
Riverfront, River View, Grand Copthorne and others.
Some offices (UE Square for example) and shopping malls (such as
Tiong Bahru Plaza and Great World City) also belong to this
category.
#7: Suburbs
Further away from hustle and bustle of the city, heartland areas
and malls (for instance, Ang Mo Kio Hub, Jurong Point and Tampines
Mall) are ideal places to pick up passengers, especially towards
the end of a driver’s shift. Drivers can pick up a few fares to
nearby places before heading home.
#8: Miscellaneous
Here are three other great places to pick up fares:
Woodlands Check Point – This area does not attract any surcharge
but one can see long queues of taxis waiting for passengers.
Drivers in the queuing taxis would normally prefer to have
passengers who go beyond Woodlands, e.g. to the city.
Marina Bay Cruise Centre – This is an iconic, dedicated two-berth
cruise facility built to accommodate the largest sea-faring
cruisers. Upon the arrival of mega cruise ships, in-vehicle taxi
terminals would be updated and drivers who are near the Marina
South area can zoom over to pick up passengers. There is a
surcharge of $5 during certain periods.
Ferry Terminal at Marina Bay South – Usually, passengers who embark
and disembark from the vessels here are people working on Bukom.
There is a surcharge of $5 during certain periods.
Besides these lucrative routes and spots above, taxi drivers can
enhance their earnings by having regular customers and some
corporate accounts.
Similarly, hourly bookings – either from individual customers or
corporate ones – will garner a good return for a taxi driver. With
a minimum booking of two hours, hourly booking rates can range from
$35 to $45. So, minimum booking charges shall be $70 for off-peak
hours and $90 for peak hours (exclusive of ERP charges). Hence,
these extra services can really make a driver’s day!
So, if you can’t get a cab, you know the reason why. But, now,
you’ll also know where to find us – good luck!
Source, singapore taxi talk 17May2013
