Terminated by Comfort !

Poolman SG

actually driving taxi may not really need a GPS…. when i just started one year plus ago, told myself i must die die buy a GPS but till now never buy any…

Thank god you made the correct decisions .

PS2U SG

GPS is good to have but cannot 100% depend on GPS.

I use it also, but mostly when me and pax don't know how to get there..

The trick as a newbie like me is ask, ask, ask ..

Like Pool said before in other thread, as a newbie, know the route also ask, don't know must ask.

For example:

Pax: Go Jln Kechubong

You: Jln Kechubong, hmm.. Where is it near ah? (1. If you don't know)

You: Jln Kechubong, near Yio Chu Kang Rd ah? (2. Roughly know)

Normally pax will tell u near some major road, if still don't know, ask for a landmark.

For this case pax might say near Yio Chu Kang.

Yio Chu Kang very long, so ask pax again near Upp Thomson side or Serangoon.

Pax will normally say near Jln Kayu.

Still can ask its near Jln Kayu towards Hougang or towards AMK

From there you should know roughly which route to take. Key in to your GPS also just in case.

When u roughly know how to go, ask pax.. Wanna go by which way, if pax say anyway. Then say what u have in mind, let's say CTE- exit AMK ave 5.

Then pax will say go CTE - exit YCK.

Lets say exit CTE, GPS say turn right, just confirm again with pax, "I go right ah?"

Normally if u ask a few times pax will know u new/not sure they guide u all the way.

Near destination, GPS sure ask u turn left into Gerald Dr.

Confirm with pax again, "i turn left at traffic light there ah?"

From there must remember how to go already.. After pax alight, try to visualise the route you take. Then try see in GPS or street directory if got alternative route or if u come from other place how to go that same place.

Important thing to note, be humble bro, especially with pax. See some of your post sometimes you the type easily get angry.

If pax angry angry you go wrong way, do what TDVL instructor taught. Either give them discount or if see pax sure going to complain type. Just give free ride, free ride no receipt so unlikely pax complain.

Got once i go wrong long way, pax also know..

Pax still can say, "where the hell you going!"

I also realise i went the longer route and apologise nicely

End trip fare was something like $22.60, i say $20 will do since i went wrong way earlier.

Pax gave me $25 ask me keep the change and ask me have a nice day!

Yes Pool say correct to learn your route is by learning from pax. Pax stay that area, some stay there for many many year and some take cab daily. They know the route to where they going, u might only go there 1-2 times they might be taking taxi everyday for past 30yrs. After a few times, u surely see same pattern with other pax going same area. Most will take same route, different time of day sometimes different route. Cos pax know where will jam, where won't jam cos they always go that way.

Reckless driving doesn't mean you speeding, it could be you keep looking at GPS while driving, or suddenly turn abruptly that made the pax say it's reckless...

Thanks for the reply. Wah! your posting becoming like pool. lol.

For me, tell I am new or ask, pax think I trying to cheat. Maybe I look like very experienced taxi driver. sigh!

PS2U SG

i support u PS2U,most paxs lan chiao type esp locals,some ask directions they just keep quiet!then u suggest routes,if caught in jam,they not happy,then started abusing u!use GPS is good but if u think it's using some routes longer then use ur own route,it will then recalculate for u!that's whatg i do!

Exact same problem I am facing.

Poolman SG

If one are at the level of BCL or myself ..... if pax complaint too much about us , it is really something serious we did wrong .

As for newbies , to commit mistakes , it's very common ...the key is , learn from those mistakes .

Poolman SG

I for me will never tell people to quit or surrender , i will say fight on .

Before that .... once again , to fight in this industry , to survive stronly in this service line ....still ego put one side .

Must be prepare to get criticise by anyone .... if one cannot accept critics , they shouldn't be in this line .... or maybe they shouldn't be in this forum at all .

Cos here one can ruined one's ego ...just by typing .

Poolman SG

Thanks for the reply. Wah! your posting becoming like pool. lol.

For me, tell I am new or ask, pax think I trying to cheat. Maybe I look like very experienced taxi driver. sigh!

Wrong assumption ....

Pax treated all drivers like experience driver , cos they dunno , and they expect all taxi drivers are the same like our level .

But being new , u really have to show them u are new , u cannot pretend to be experience .

PS2U SG

since when, a paying party is responsible for the products/services?

paying party are there to enjoy the products/services at ease.

It is provider responsible for paying party to enjoy their product/services at ease.

this rule of thumb does not comes from me, it is here for milleniums.

If you still unable to accept it, and expecting a change......... there are jobs worst than Taxi Driving waiting for you, but the same rule still apply.

What you say is true if it is a fixed price, for a fixed service. Any paying party entering a taxi running on meter will not relax unless it is a drunk.

PS2U SG

My google gps dont seem to recaluculate for me...any idea?

Google GPS just gives shortest route. Usefull only to get an idea of overall route.

PS2U SG

Wrong assumption ....

Pax treated all drivers like experience driver , cos they dunno , and they expect all taxi drivers are the same like our level .

But being new , u really have to show them u are new , u cannot pretend to be experience .

Best part, CDG agree with pax and think all drivers same level.

When pax enter, I always ask if they know the route. If not, I must use GPS because I don't know how to go.

colafantasy SG

Just got invitation to drink coffee at Sin Ming on Monday. No reason given. Whatcoffee to buy? Normal or decaf?

bro, not sure u have been driving how long.. if you keep kenna warning letters or free kopi, somewhere must be wrong with ur style of driving, ur handling of pax and lastly the most important.... YOU....... you need to reflect on what you had done. ie why paxs complain, whats wrong.... if u keep thinking its all pax problems and not yours... hmmm then soon u will have to find another taxi company liao...... other taxi kakis have already proven that it is possible to drive ten over year without getting a single official complaint from pax............ you can do it if you wanna put ur mind to do so.

Poolman SG

Best part, CDG agree with pax and think all drivers same level.

When pax enter, I always ask if they know the route. If not, I must use GPS because I don't know how to go.

CDG is like that one .....

Want to drive their taxi , must accept those retarded way of working .

Poolman SG

Just got invitation to drink coffee at Sin Ming on Monday. No reason given. Whatcoffee to buy? Normal or decaf?

They will buy you ..... no worries .

Poolman SG

I won't be surprised if u get the boot from CDG .

They have long Q of good drivers waiting to drive for them .

PS2U SG

I won't be surprised if u get the boot from CDG .

They have long Q of good drivers waiting to drive for them .

Happy to hear about the coffee part. So they will supply coffee! but I hate decaf.

I got no problems with the boot! as long as BoCallLiao, changes his nick to MoreCallsNow.

Poolman SG

Cos two weeks back , there was one Mercedes driver who got the boot because he forgotten to press meter and demand a Mercedes fare .....

JoeRaj SG

I never exceed more than 10 or 15 kmph above speed limit. GPS always shows the speed limit. I go reckless above 15 kmph.

For example if normal road is 50kmph, I reckless 60kmph, provided the road is empty.

My max reckless speed on Highway is 110kmph. This is with the expressway being empty after midnight.

That is no excuse. Consider it lucky that pax only complain to CDG. If this was a complaint to LTA, you could easily be hauled to court.

There was this case where a Merc driver drove 'recklessly' according to woman pax who complained to LTA. He wasn't accused of a longer route (from Marine Parade to Shenton Way - straight forward ECP, exit Rochor etc). Instead he was accused of speeding and being reckless.

The woman complained of motion sickness because of the ride and went to see a doctor. Later complained to LTA. Merc driver charged in court.

His defense like yours , never speed only go maximum 100kmh along expressway - also mentioned unwritten rule, TP normally don't summon for people who go above 10 - 15kmh.

Unfortunately judge didnt buy the story, said the law says 90kmh, why go at 100kmh?

He got fined over $1000 and obviously license was suspended, forget whether revoked or not.

So going at 110kmh is not a good idea or excess on normal roads.

Of course, nobody drives at 60kmh on normal roads and 90kmh on expressways all the time. I have even driven pax at 130kmh - sometimes just got itch to speed, but why no complaints?

Because you must see your pax la, if woman, old people, executive types, pregnant, thise with kids or babies, definitely they don't appreciate speeding, even 90kmh might also be too much, they would rather you drive 70-80kmh on expressways.

If youngsters, then speeding they dont care, some may even encourage.

As far as CDG goes, driving for this company comes with the baggage - they are pro-themselves and and pro-pax above drivers.

Now they have a lot of drivers and not enough cabs, so they can be even more yaya.

My hirer's friend's relief got terminated because of speeding. They issued him a warning letter for speeding and later he again did it, and that was that - termination. Dunno if pax complained or they retrieved it from MDT.

Simple rule is once you get your warning letter the first time, standard one they will pay attention to you. They can't go around monitoring all 15-16k drivers, just a few who were warned.

As for routes, again this over and over again has been mentioned ask, explain and advise pax - sorry i am new, I really dunno how to go, if you can show me, then we can proceed, if you not sure, maybe you take another cab.

GPS works 2 or maybe 3 ways - I know of - shortest route (via normal roads but journey time will be longer, and fare usually lesser) or faster (highways usually), time shorter but fares usually more. Over dependence on them will lead to some problems sometimes.

Whatever it is, we also gotta be fair to pax, we are also pax sometimes - why should a person pay more for the same kind of service he takes everyday (barring traffic jams etc)? Who would like to pay $12 when he normally pays only $10, and this extra comes because of the driver being unsure?

I mean this is not like driving our own car and ferrying our friends or family, like that we can go any old way, make mistake also never mind. Here we are providing a service, we gotta do our part to be fair to the person paying.

My own rule is very simple, if the mistake is mine, I auto deduct from the fare, if the mistake is from the pax - wanted to go a certain way - end up jam or whatever, then that one usually expect full payment unless I really kasihan the pax.

There is a grave possibilty tht CDG might terminate you or give you a last warning.

It's no big deal, let it be a lesson and in the meantime, start saving for deposit to drive another company.

Poolman SG

good luck for your coffee break ....

just talk nicely to enforcement , dun be like me ..... i screwed them up from Cablink , Enforcements to Credit Control .... and got the boot LOL .

Poolman SG

But of course if i want to go back , i can now after so many years , but dun wan lah ....

One year only .... one year later can still go back .

ericgo SG

PS2U

Only 1 advice - Please Quit

wah so straight forward ah?