Your first trip

last SG · 2010-09-24T14:01:21+00:00

Bro you should have gotten it at IT show... it is much much cheaper..... like me... I got the Holux at S$299.... KNN.... later I realise they selling the exa...

fermat SG

hello,

i was trying to see if there was any topic about TDs first time but missed it. i just got my tvl and would like to go for it, at least as a relief first, but, a bit nervous lah, what if the first passenger ask u to go somewhere you never heard before... i wonder how were your experiences the first time. hope to learn from you sifus

Poolman SG

Aiyo , it's inevitable leh , must take any pax , right ?

SO what u need to do , do this .

You : Hello , Good morning , what can i do for you today ?"

Pax : XXXX Tower , near YYY Road ."

You : So do you know the way there ? I'm new , i need you to guide me .

Pax : " Can , go by ZZZ Expressway , then exit KKKK Road ."

Just drive lor , no worries , no stress , no tensions , just drive .

Do not speed .

Do not caused road hazards on the road .

Use your signal all the time .

Then u should be fine .

And pls DO not forget to press the meter .

Always the case , once kang cheong , forget father what surname .

TaxiNoob SG

Though I just started driving for less than a month... (Wait!! Tomorrow marks the 1 month anniversary of my TVL collection...), I already forgot my first pax liao. LOL...

However, until today, I still kenna destination that I only know the general direction to the area but not the specific place that pax wanna go to. Hence, most importantly is to be frank to them and explain that you are new lah, still trying to familiarize with routes lah... Most paxes are understanding and some will even encourage you verbally. The most important thing to avoid is not to tell pax that you don't know the way and then in the end bing them on a merry-go-round. If pax can't give direction, then probably it's best to tell them to get another taxi. (Though I have never had to resort to that since I had a GPS and on the rare occassions that pax don't know the way, they are ok with me referring to the GPS.)

Hope this helps...

Cash Lee SG

i got no problem remembering my first pax, becos she is my wife.hahaha

MDT2410 SG

And pls DO not forget to press the meter .

Always the case , once kang cheong , forget father what surname .

Very true.... the first few days... knn... so stress dont know the route, forgot to press meter..... dont say father name forgot... own name also forgot.... haaaaa...... but most pax nice lar.... Uncle, you did not On Meter......Oh, I give you some discount... Pax happy..... kekekke

fermat SG

Thanks for all the info and advice. I guess be like nike and just do it! Oso dun try to act smart when one doesn’t know, just ask the pax politely.

Ok, seems like I am ready to go….. part time. Trying to look ard my place for a taxi, actually i used to drive and orways used to see this red toyota wish in the multistorey carpark from 7pm to 7 am.

Do you think its rude to write a message leave it on his screen and ask if he is looking for a relief? I was thinking of doing that, me desperate lah

Xcert SG

Thanks for all the info and advice. I guess be like nike and just do it! Oso dun try to act smart when one doesn’t know, just ask the pax politely.

Do you think its rude to write a message leave it on his screen and ask if he is looking for a relief? I was thinking of doing that, me desperate lah

I think no harm lor...just dun harass him if he's not keen...

bowah SG

Hahaha,..same like me, i forgot to add surcharge too, then got once, forget to reset the meter and the next pax came in, then suddenly asked me, Hello, your fare start at $8 ar??? is this roll royce taxi??, wha say sories until mouth also dry up.

Poolman SG

Do you think its rude to write a message leave it on his screen and ask if he is looking for a relief? I was thinking of doing that, me desperate lah

Rude ? No la , this is what we did , and it works the best man !

Just write something like that :

Relief looking for hirer

Mon-Sat

Time : 7pm to 6am

Can wash taxi and return to you .

Pls contact 9012-3456 , Ah Leong .

Many would want a relief , just that many relief dun go down to Defu to put their names on lisyting , and timing also not right .

And many hirers are not internet savvy .

They dun know what is cabby.com.sg one or cabby.sgforums.com

They need such miracles to drop from the sky .

Poolman SG

My first pax ?

Hey boy , u got any ideas how many paxes i had commuted ?

It was since year 2000 .

Almost 10 years ago .....

TaxiNoob SG

Many would want a relief , just that many relief dun go down to Defu to put their names on lisyting , and timing also not right .

And many hirers are not internet savvy .

They dun know what is cabby.com.sg one or cabby.sgforums.com

They need such miracles to drop from the sky .

Precisely... My current hirer is one such non-internet savvy person. Lucky his brother in law saw my listing at cabby.com.sg and informed him about it. Now driving for slightly more than a week already... Nice old man to partner with.

fermat SG

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement. I shall drop him a message and leave it on his screen and see how. I wonder if he would just let me drive on Saturday nite only. Cos I now have a full time job, but I am thinking of retiring then be a TD to earn some pocket money, I just want to have more time with my family. I more family man lah, like to see my daughter growing up, don’t want to miss her growing years. That one not like a movie, if you miss still can rent dvd and watch again. Once I miss her growing up, that’s it.

But anyway, I digress. So, I wan to try once a week first and then if okay, then ask my boss for part time and drive part time, then 55, drive full time. What do you bros think ha? Can work or not?

Bro poolman will say aiyo, its inevitable leh.

Thanks again, you are a nice bunch!

Btw, I was in a taxi last night and I met this TD. He driving since 1979, he say that time starting fare only lak kak. I say wah, you veteran lah, some more tell me how much he earn, he said, I start 5pm until now 10pm I already got $130, all long distance one today. Some more tell me go get license lah standby. I smiled inside.

Corycat69 SG

Dun worry la. 10 months ago, my 1st day was a sunday (ie. I part-time alternate weekend driver). 6am get cab, green horn "sern" till 715am than get 1st pax at tampines.

"Uncle, east coast park Mac". I told him he is my 1st pax on my 1st drive, he very chinchye, I even forgot to on meter. Half-way than on, reached his destination, meter show $8 something, he give $10 and say keep the change.

The whole day I told every pax . my 1st day. Lucky that day all ok type,,,,

Need to start somewhere, dun worry and just drive. Just be honest and tell that if route u are not sure. I still do that if i dun know the way. That's why now, I buy one marbella GPS.

Last time, 2nd drive go airport T1 queue, also went to the wrong driveway... Now think of it, very funny.... We all have our 1st time, just "chiong" and u will pick up very fast....

Good Luck.....

MDT2410 SG

haaa I also first time go T1 drive wrong entrance... enter sala hole... haaa..... then no choice go T2 to queue.... my first and only time queuing.....

Insg SG

No, unless you add *&^%[email protected]#! on the note.

Insg SG

I just want to have more time with my family. I more family man lah, like to see my daughter growing up, don’t want to miss her growing years. That one not like a movie, if you miss still can rent dvd and watch again. Once I miss her growing up, that’s it.

This is very true. I got a friend who regretted not spending time with his daughters during their early days. His job required him to travel often. And 1 of them got into bad company and almost ended up in girl's home. He felt bad about that.

fermat SG

thanks for all the helpful suggestions.

well, i did it and left a message on a comfort hyundai asking the fella to contact me if he needs a relief driver. i tot of leaving the message with the toyota wish, but then i tot maybe hyundai cheaper to rent. anyway, i see how and let you guys know. interesting to find out that there were 3 taxis parked in the red lots at 7.30pm on a sunday evening. and thats only on the first 2 levels of the carpark.

thanks again,.

fermat SG

Well, I have just being offered a fire engine. he said me being a newbie, he proposed that better not do nights but try Saturdays, Sunday and public holidays, which actually made sense to me. Sounds like he’s quite easy, and I can give him advance notice should I want to call it quits, and if I go on leave, I can just compensate him him part of the rental.

i have been reading around and it sounds like the advice is to take a fire engine to start with, did I get that right?

ALN SG

u full time or part time? if full time, u only drive Sat sun?

sounds like a con offer leh

fermat SG

no lah, i trying part time cos still have a full time job, so can only drive on weekends.