Blog of Cabby

last SG · 2010-03-03T15:43:10+00:00

I will stop talking about luck for now .It's up to all to realize the absolutely meaning of driving a cab .If u are good .... consistent .... u dun need luck...

Poolman SG

Bro , this is for you !

Just tell whatever u felt is nice to share .

Poolman SG

Finally got my body and internal tummy clock adjusted to new life after more than one week driving. First week, only sleep, wake up send kid to school, back to sleep then pick up kid, then get ready to start work again. Body very tired, brain refused to work, but at least when you see the stack of notes after the day of hard work, you feel some satisfaction can bring money home for the family.

It's hard work with long hours but I think I am getting to like this trade. :)

by Ken Yap .

Poolman SG

My first day

Started by joining the queue at AMK office area, got there about 6 cabs in front of me. Waited abt 3 mins but only move up one cab, then I get scared loose, so I left the que thinking of picking up road side pax at an MNC office nearby. Pass through there, not a single pax waiting, then slowly cruise down AMK until saw another queue at Lor Chuan. Up to then I spent nearly 20mins empty and was starting to feel that driving cab is not easy as I thought.

Join the queue for about 5mins+ and one gentleman get on my cab “Uncle Lucky Plaza please”.

Bingo, not bad my first pax ask me to go in CBD, drove him in and he paid by Charge card.

At LP got 2 philippino ladies got in and ask to drive to boat quay, another CBD! From CBD one girl ask me to drive her to Red Dot house on Maxwell. From Maxwell cruise down along Robinson but saw the taxi stands full of cabs, so tried 1 Raffles Quay instead.

While waiting on the queue at 1RQ, I read the notes again and noticed that CBD surcharge is not auto, must key in manually!!??!!$$%% WTF, I didn’t charge the first two CBD pax (LP and BQ) and lost $6 income!!???!!$$!! Ah, new lesson learned.

A jap pax got in asked to drive to 28Scotts. I thought nmv lah, a bit out of CBD just learn to see all those flagging along Scotts as transparent and get to LP queue again. Reached 28 scotts, got a young pretty jap lady waiting for me at the lobby (ha ha I wished, but she was waiting for a taxi lah). She got in and asked me to drive to Paragon taxi stand, not bad, got pax and at same time save on ERP. Dropped her off at taxi drop off and joined the CentrePoint queue. A young Indonesian girl got in and asked me to drive her to, guess what, Red House Maxwell rd again. What’s happening at Red House?? :)

Drop her off there and join the taxi stand along Robinson. Got a black French guy got in and asked me to drive him home to Anchorage. By then already 8pm, drive into CBD and que at 1RQ again.

I got VERY lucky, my first day, got ding dong inside CBD many times J

Poolman SG

Second day, the hirer uncle called me and asked to drive him to relative house. I guess he may want to experience my “driving skill” J

He said rather than let other cabby earn, may as well let me earn. True, but I insist that I won’t take his fare and drive him FOC. Yeah right, I am an insincere scheming bastard, but I prefer to build up a rapport with him, as we are going for a long term partnership mah. (For the record, he still insisted and at the end I deduct $5 off the rental just for token)

From Serangoon got one young chap asked me to drive to Jurong Point. Drop him off JP, a lady pax I picked up on the street asked me to drive to East Coast Seafood ctr, she was going to company dinner. Drop her off there and then in front of the Mc D along East Coast, one guy asked me to drive to CCK and pay by NETS. (before me I saw him talking to a Transcab crown uncle in front).

I believe driving cab also depends on luck. First day I got ding dong inside CBD many times. Second day three of my fours first pax sent me left right left right. J

Poolman SG

One day I was queing at chief Poolz favourite place at AMK.

Got red Transcab wish in front, followed by green SMART, I was third in the queue. Got one ang moh came out from the office bdg and walked straight to my taxi. “Nathan Rd please. I’m paying by Nets” No problem Sir! And I drove off laughing my ass off.

I just imagine that the Wish at the head of the queue is Chief Poolz’ cab. Feel very shiok de J

Poolman SG

This one is not about a route, but just sharing a conversation I had with a Malay Transcab Wish driver I had at Night Safari (NS) queue.

I was asking him whether we still got chance to pick up the last pax at NS (as it is coming to midnight), then the conversation drift to pick up at RWS.

I told him just before got to NS, I was driving towards RWS when a booking come up at Vivocity, and I took the booking. Drove the pax to Jln Membina, then beep again pick up at Vivo. Drop the next pax at Telok Blangah Cres, then beep again pick up a Vivo. This one is a longer trip to Woodlands.

21:56 Vivo – Jln Membina $8.50

22:14 Vivo – Tlk Blangah Cres $8.30

22:25 Vivo – Woodlands $25.30

I took the picture of my MDT and showed to the Malay driver. He see until blur. :)

Ps, Chief Poolz, you want me to send you the MDT picture so you can drool over?? Hahaha….

Pps, I said this before and will say again, I still think luck plays a part in taxi driving.

Ppps, I still have some more stories to share, will probably type after tonight drive.

Poolman SG

This one is not about a route, but just sharing a conversation I had with a Malay Transcab Wish driver I had at Night Safari (NS) queue.

I was asking him whether we still got chance to pick up the last pax at NS (as it is coming to midnight), then the conversation drift to pick up at RWS.

21:56 Vivo – Jln Membina $8.50

22:14 Vivo – Tlk Blangah Cres $8.30

22:25 Vivo – Woodlands $25.30

I took the picture of my MDT and showed to the Malay driver. He see until blur. :)

Ps, Chief Poolz, you want me to send you the MDT picture so you can drool over?? Hahaha….

Pps, I said this before and will say again, I still think luck plays a part in taxi driving.

Ppps, I still have some more stories to share, will probably type after tonight drive.

Bro , 2156hr until coming 12am , u got 2 hours $42.10 .... average $21.05 per hour .

No good .

Woodlands killed you .

Think about it .

Woodlands stop your connections .

2225hr u got a woodlands , reached woodlands 2300hr for instance , nearly midnight u still at NS , i think u lost 1 hour bro .

Poolman SG

One day I was queing at chief Poolz favourite place at AMK.

I just imagine that the Wish at the head of the queue is Chief Poolz’ cab. Feel very shiok de J

It could be anybody's guess ..... that Wish could be heading into Suntec .

Pax paid ERP and sent that Wish driver into CBD .

Remember some time last week i told you i was at St 65 ?

Yeah , i got a trip into Suntec Tower 1/2 .

So u think u are unlucky that u got Nathan Road ?

I was lucky to get Suntec ?

Given that u got a Suntec , if u dun get a good connection , bad luck ?

Given that i got a Nathan , and i can create another connection into CBD , am i lucky ?

Nope , i am some kind of shrew here .

U could be blindly shooting into any taxi stand , not me bro .

I judge potential paxes .

if taxi stand is local , i normally would give this taxi stand a miss at Suntec .

I would prefer to head into Millenia Tower instead .

It will take a bit of time for you to understand what i meant .

Poolman SG

Now do you know why AMK , i chose to go Tech Point ?

Cos this building , large potential of pax will go into CBD . If u Q toward YCK .

Hmm .... wanna see whether u bad luck ?

Try Q-ing opposite of where u normally Q . Direction towards Maybank .

I tell u , u'll get AMK MRT , believe me .

U must be thinking , why did taxi Q just outside Tech Point , knowing that is a long Q there heading YCK ?

And why did those stupid pax kept taking their cab ?

Yeah , they are going to AMK MRT .

Poolman SG

Second day, the hirer uncle called me and asked to drive him to relative house. I guess he may want to experience my “driving skill” J

I believe driving cab also depends on luck. First day I got ding dong inside CBD many times. Second day three of my fours first pax sent me left right left right. J

So what happen after u alight this CCK pax ?

It is obviously a Friday evening .....

Poolman SG

Under normal circumstances , if u remains inside CBD , from 10pm , i will not be surprised if u can fetch $28 per hour .

Up to 12am , and still in town .

$42.10 against possible $50 ....... $42.10 , 2 hours and at Woodlands , gone case bro .

Looked good $25 bucks per trip ..... but woodlands jammed your rhythm , all the way until 12am .

Poolman SG

Drop him off JP, a lady pax I picked up on the street asked me to drive to East Coast Seafood ctr, she was going to company dinner

Damn ...... I just wild guess la , a Friday night , company dinner never do at Weekdays .

JP to East Coast looked good , unless ECP no jam .

Dinner ? Between 6pm to 7.30pm ? Sad ..... Friday night , ECP all the way jam la .

Looked good money , wasted almost an hour stuck at ECP .

U are unlucky to get a trip like that .

Sorry ..... am i spot on ?

Poolman SG

Luck or no luck .....

End day ..... it's what u get .

Do i need luck to get $200 collection at 12am ? Everyday ?

No la , skills play a part .

Maybe new drivers , probation type , need that .

Season drivers ..... skills .

I dun smell woodlands ...... how to avoid woodlands ?

Yeah , got tricks one .

komade SG

for me i rather stay in town or juz send to fringe of

town n ialways chasing for swee swee $30/h collection

cause i start at 6pm n i olredi lose out on the nice timing

of starting at 4/5pm cause action for normal weekdays stop

at 11pm-12am so i always set target of $170-$180 for those

6hrs tats y u see me rushing everywhere like mad :P

1 wrong move or trip to woodlands/cck/yishun can spoil ur

rhythm n u can see ur collections slow down also. if i see $20/hr

nia i will sibeh dulan n ciong even more.

Poolman SG

No offense Ken Yap .... just felt that mindset is very important in driving taxis .

Wrong mindset might just lead you into the wrong path .

Tio Call Liao SG

Ken Yap driving day or nite? why take call from vivo?? wah lao i have not taken a call from there since i came back to comfort

kinwashi SG

Luck or no luck .....

End day ..... it's what u get .

Do i need luck to get $200 collection at 12am ? Everyday ?

No la , skills play a part .

Maybe new drivers , probation type , need that .

Season drivers ..... skills .

I dun smell woodlands ...... how to avoid woodlands ?

Yeah , got tricks one .

CCK millionaire...Luck or no luck .

as a taxi driver everydays driving pattern, everydays all are difference and paxs.

just one example, printed out this job receipt...for verification. on this Luck or no Luck.

Season drivers ..... skills, as you mentioned

Season drivers.....Luck, not mentioned Why?.

as at 07:30 just started my MDT...advance job at Rio Vista Hougang ave 7, advance call 15 minutes later.....accepted this job...as at Rio Vista...02/03/2010..07:47...end at 08:32 changi airport T2..... km run 38.6,..... fare $27.20, advance booking $5.20, peak hour 35% $9.50.

Total $41.90. for just only 50 minutes job.

Why? Hougang Ave 7 to airport need this kind of fare.

Reason upon at TPE to Changi Airport toward EcP, than pax realised no passport back home again.

If, this kind ( Luck or Skill )...as your teaching $30 dollars an hour consider very good. What? about this kind. but not always...please note.

iCab SG

Thanks for the woodlands illustration. very good! so for peak hour strategy, whats the furthest you will fetch? amk, tpy will u take? after that shoot cte straight back.

Poolman SG

Like what Ken Yap had said , Pps, I said this before and will say again, I still think luck plays a part in taxi driving

I did not say we dun need luck at all , but u cannot drive a cab expecting to have luck to bring you tat average income !!

To get $200 collection from 4.30pm to 12am , luck everyday ???

Nope skills of getting that right pax at the right time , and base on different demand time .

It's the overall skill of driving a cab that bring you ur final income .

The overall skills of ....... u must just have it .

Just alone stamina just never enuf , entrepreneurship minded , hardworking , clever , smart ........ and maybe little luck of getting some extra tippings .

But i am very very lucky to have join Lake View , yes damn lucky .

But i am lucky to have Marina Sands coming up .

But i am lucky to have RWS .

But i am lucky to escape Woodlands for the last 2 weeks .

Luck in this aspect yes .

Others , not me ........

Poolman SG

If u know chinese ..... be 实力派 will be better .

偶像派 dun last so long .