newbie need urgent advice from bro here

last SG · 2010-04-17T07:27:24+00:00

what about those making 300+ 400+ a day?!

angku SG

chanced upon this forum by chance only today. should have found this long ago !

Anyway, I just got my SATA result & urgently need to make $ as have been out of work for a while & running low on $. Realise challenge of raising >1k to start off taxi career.

So looking for whether got co sponsor taxi course & any incentive from e2i like training allowance etc. But seems those are for express course attendance meaning min 3 wk fastest. No online with sponsorship meh ?

Also in view of hardship for rental deposit (1k -5k), I was attracted to SMRT Hire & Placement offer on website. brochure also said got 2k guaranteed - no need worry about rental deposit etc.

Experienced cabbies, can advise me given my situation, SMRT Hire & Placement good move since it can absorb my course fee & deposit problems ? Saw bros posting making $100+ to $280+ per night, surely not easy ..... read all those strategies, wa, head also big big .... thks for advice in advance !

xbird SG

m 6 mths’ ahead ‘luckier’ than ya chancing upon dis forum wen m lookin for a honest ‘taxi driver’s income’... forum’s ceo came clean – & his post way back >couple of yrs ago liao clearin my ques marks (as opposed to wat many lao guis’ advices reg ‘taxi CANNOT drive la, GO FIND A JOB w CPF!’ Smile

jus got my tvl last fri 09 apr’10 fm my 1st registratn on 20 oct’09. fear not,if ya umemployed can be faster…via oso one of ceo’s + kaki’s advices – online course! but of cos sld your $ situatn allows…my recorded:
1) registratn 20 oct 09
2) medical 01 dec’09 (can be aft ‘1’...DELAYED my own time)
3) applicatn for online orientatn 26 jan’10 (date given, no choice)
4) excursion bookin 09 feb’10(aft orientation, jus go ‘click’ ‘click’ ‘clicl’ to get ya by to book an available excursion date)
5) excursion date 14 mar’10
6) test date date 23 mar’10 (STUDY only after ‘6&#8217 Wink
7) re-test 29 mar’10 – passed (dis purely unneccessary- paid extra S$15.00+++ on top of time wastage!)
Cool 09 apr’10 – tvl license

i got my tvl in bout 6mths cos m stil und employmt, so quite in a comfort zone (no gd!). but if ya fast & can spare bout S$400 on hand, can get it in bout 2.5 mths or less!
key is: Online Course!

angku SG

tks for quick reply.

Wow! 9 Apr - just last week ! so u r juz standby or intend to drive relief/full time? & which co. u choose & how u decide ? In my case, since i confirm will drive for a living, tat's why I tot might as well get sponsored for course fee & any other incentives (although $200+ but deposit $1000-$500 depending which taxi co) still very siong.... I hope not to borrow, some more initially if not experienced, will i drive at a loss .... so many headache, tat's why i hope to ask bros here their opinion of SMRT's Learn & Placement scheme which waive rental deposit .... any one in the scheme or know anyone in the scheme ?

xbird SG

chanced upon this forum by chance only today. should have found this long ago !

Anyway, I just got my SATA result & urgently need to make $ as have been out of work for a while & running low on $. Realise challenge of raising >1k to start off taxi career.

Also in view of hardship for rental deposit (1k -5k), I was attracted to SMRT Hire & Placement offer on website. brochure also said got 2k guaranteed - no need worry about rental deposit etc.

joining a co. m yet a cabby here (tho v soon to be) but if even so, stil super junior, regardless of age or experience outside cab drivin. me took one wk to read back some 'relevant' postings to my ques. if ya wld, do e same...you appreciate why certain co.(s) mentioned is/r better not to be taken seriously if your intendin to be 'one of theirs'. end of d day, its your hardworking attitude + some 'smart' decision as to which co.(s) to join that make your income much satisfactory + Justifiable. read back if ya wana be serious. some time spent here is worthy rather than Real time (&$$$) wastages out there in real :)

angku SG

ok, gd advice, will study the site inside out for a week

oredy some info very useful, some tactics feel pressure .... almost everyone say new better do part time 1st or be relief 1st .... i scared too green, tot if I be hirer & OMO for 12 hrs per day, maybe less problem no need to handle relief ..... hope after this 'forum study', will clear my mind how ...

xbird SG

tks for quick reply.

your $ situatn not beta than mine i believe. fear not... read on, on this forum - those back-dated ones. do ya v gd, trust me! many lao birds here, v v experienced. even new birds like eg. mango, sonata83, etc....(hope dun get em wrong by my labellings, if so...paiseh paiseh!) r gettin a hand on it! i seriously cant tell much cos m junior. only 2 cents worth of opinion...personally. m going for a relief either wish trancab or sonata comfort currently: 1) wish transcab - ask 50 later reduced to 48 (aft i negotiate w him readin NKL's post). but downside he needed fri nite... 2) sonata - jus called few hrs ago. 52 but 5 or 6 days anytime i choose! near my place! drinkin kopi w him tonite... k, me got to report back to work liao... take care pal! (ps: pool & gang all around...em d oldies of all birdies...seek many opinions)

Poolman SG

Not another newbie getting conned by SMRT with those "attractive" perks .

Hello people , think carefully before committing yourself to SMRT .

Sorry guys , take me as anti-SMRT .

Cos since they started the taxi business , which they shouldn't be (they should be doing well in Buses ), other than that , they sucks sia !

Poolman SG

Those people that took the advice of those seniors here , they survive the trade . At least they are improving everyday .

Those people ( commando type ) , ignored those advices , and jump into those bandwagon , and long lost since , MIA liao . Like a sinking Titanic . And never hear them since .

Some quit , some jump ship .....

The best about this forum , when u are in the right ship , the seniors here would make your cruise an even better cruising .

Other to improving , still about improvings .

xbird SG

tks for quick reply.

relief 1st, will not kill. echoing ceo's advise. can find em...his advice: go around your blk & stick flyer 'seeking for taxi hirer' on windscreen or door handle...got 4 calls aft 40 cabs of such in 2 wks' time! me choose before my wk @ 0400hrs hrs, cos m thinkin of drivin nite. so those i see in the nite, i go 'hang flyers'!

xbird SG

looks like m suckin to ceo’s toes liao…!

no la! whether or not, take it in thy stride! you do d discerning… leave it to ya!

i reali cant tell much cos m delivery driver for so bloody damn long, dun even know how to drive a auto (know its ‘easy’ but reali yet to know how it actual function lei, brake & accer…!) but watever comes, take it lor! be the responsible self of your chosen decision.

now i choose cab drivin. i choose…

xbird SG

looks like m suckin to ceo’s toes liao…!

no la! whether or not, take it in thy stride! you do d discerning… leave it to ya!

now i choose cab drivin. i choose…

angku SG

Not another newbie getting conned by SMRT with those "attractive" perks .

poolman, from yr posts, yr trade credentials undisputed. can help me understand what's the catch in SMRT's con? to a cash strapped me, no need to put up 5k deposit is a big deal. sorry for my ignorance...

mangodew SG

haha i am smrt place and train one.. actually smrt can la only dont have much call so we must street pick but still can survive la.. but hor dont take those f type old car from them u will peng... like me take merc but before it come bo bian take azera. but never take azera unless you wanna be omo else u suffer... but then best dont take azera la.

angku SG

just the man i praying for! bro mangodew, how come all the big big cabs like merc & azera for newbies !!!! rental $98-$100+ right, for 'train & place' not given toyota crown $68/day type meh ? walau ! newbie dun start as relief oredy damn disadvantaged still like tat ....

so mango u finish yr one-yr oredy? how many mths u drive oredy, OMO or u found yr own relief , can cover rental & costs as a newbie.... so sorry, so many questions.... becos of $ problem, I dun dare sign anything or what kind of training.... heard relief also must put up deposit, saw from Comfort website walau! be their relief also $1k deposit.... siong !

Ngkialeong888 SG

Angku, me currently counting down to returning smrt crown. Let me highlight where is the problems of smrt :

1) New car (azera) you cannot tahan cng (ask mangodew and you know why), old car you cannot tahan their workshop. Cos you will spend more time in workshop than on the road.

2) Merc cab, space, in my opinion not for newbie. Must salute mangodew gor his courage. Cos you need lots of lobang to survive. No point getting a merc or space to sweep road, you are better off getting a standard taxi.

3) Smrt call system have improve, but don't expect too much lah. They only sound off when other company got no taken, and nowsaday alot no location one. Thanks to the automated booking system. (As to why no location cannot take, you will understand later when you start driving)

4) Workshop - Horrified experiences. Be prepare to wait 3-4 hours or more for the repairs, that haven't include repetitive jobs that need to be done everytime you come out. That why they prepare such nice lounged for you to rest mah. They scared you boring sia.

5) One more point to you. The revenue sharing scheme with the guaranteed $2k income, they are using it the Azera on CNG. It doesn't come guranteed $2k unless you hit the target sales they set, if you fall short, you have to top up the balance . That exclude the facts that Azera using CNG that goes only 180 L/tank. You will die cock stand. Trust me.

So my conclusion to you

1) Don't OMO, start as a relief

2) Do a thorough check on other taxi company scheme and rental before you commit. SMRT know they do not have a edge, that why they keep coming with stupid scheme to attract people like u (and me previously).

3) Turn your situation into strength. It could be motivational factor

4) Learn as much as you can from this forum. If in doubt ask. I am sure TD in this forum will share with you. Go lah kopi one day with us

angku SG

Mr Ng, I am so grateful for your reply.

At 1st I shocked at Poolman's anti-SMRT rants. why? I thought.

Before i read yr post, i was studying other threads...wow! now, i understand why smrt kenna condemned.

Come back to this thread, saw u summarize the anti-SMRT case very well.

1 person say, 2 say, so many say.... i will be silly not to take their comments seriously.

So, SMRT on paper soounds like the best deal - but no need anyone tell me, merc or ssangyong not for 1st timers.

So if i still go for train & place scheme due to $ deposit problem, then smrt is no-no left comfort/citycab..... any complaints about comfort - i heard big, ngeow, lots of paperwork, kenna deduct this that a lot ... true.... nothing perfect....

If i got 5k deposit, i sure go for kia magentis auto diesal some more from premier, i saw from brochure at taxi acdmy today... premier deposit how much, i can't find from online?

tks all, poolman, dun be angry, slowly people will see your point abt SMRT given the testimony of so many here....

f1taxidriver SG

Bro Angku,

There is another problem with SMRT. The $1000 or $1500 deposit that you place with SMRT can only be returned after 1 year. Anything earlier, u have to forfeit $50 after 6 months or $300 before 6 months.

Comfort/Citycab is the most deposit friendly. You can pay your $1000 in 4 installments. $250 x 4. So at most just cough out $250 first.

I suggest u be a comfort/citycab relief first. Dont be hirer. It worked for me, and should work for u too.

Kalimango SG

Hi All, Waulau, I have not been driving for 1 week lao, difficult to find hirer to become relief. I went around putting namecard on the taxis within my place and nobody called back. Don't become hirer also bo pian. Search on the internet, most people say got relief liao. How ah???

Ngkialeong888 SG

Mr Ng, I am so grateful for your reply.

At 1st I shocked at Poolman's anti-SMRT rants. why? I thought.

Before i read yr post, i was studying other threads...wow! now, i understand why smrt kenna condemned.

Come back to this thread, saw u summarize the anti-SMRT case very well.

1 person say, 2 say, so many say.... i will be silly not to take their comments seriously.

So, SMRT on paper soounds like the best deal - but no need anyone tell me, merc or ssangyong not for 1st timers.

If i got 5k deposit, i sure go for kia magentis auto diesal some more from premier, i saw from brochure at taxi acdmy today... premier deposit how much, i can't find from online?

tks all, poolman, dun be angry, slowly people will see your point abt SMRT given the testimony of so many here....

Correction : 5k deposit is for Prime (The burgundy color taxi), Kia Magentis is from Premier, silver color one.

Let see this summary

Premier got 3 schemefor kia

a )No contract - $100 safety incentive mthly, $150 Good performance incentive mthly, $300 Loyalty service bonus every 6 mths, $180 road tax rebate yearly. Rental is $102.72. Deposit $1K

b) 3 mths contracts - $50 safety incentive mthly,$200 Good performance mthly, $100 diesel rebate mthly, $180 road tax rebate yearly. Rental is $102.72. Deposit 1K.

c) 1yr + 1 yr + 1 yr Contract - $300 safety incentive half yearly, $300 Good performance half yearly, Loyalty bonus (Yr 1 = $400, yr 2=$800, yr 3 = $2000), $180 road tax rebate yearly. Rental depends on payment mode from $86.24-$90.00. Deposit 1K. If break contract, penalty is $4K

i) All Kia Magentis don't have booking system (MDT), they uses walkie talkie (free for 3 mths).

ii) Accident access 1st=$1500, 2nd=$2000, 3rd=$2500.

iii) Kia Magentis no free rental day, only toyata crown have.

iv) Diesel price is $0.96.

v) Rental deduction is on every Monday & last day of the month.

Ngkialeong888 SG

From my point of view;

1) SMRT - "Good" scheme for beginners to start a taxi career but be aware of the points listed earlier on. Diesel is $0.93. Accident access is low, better booking system now. But choice of auto taxi sucks.

2) Premier (Kia) - Not a good choice for beginner. Cos overhead expenses is high and the benefit is not attractive. Accident access is very high. No satelite Booking system. Kia is on diesel.

3) Comfort - Good for beginner to start as a relief, not as an OMO cos overhead high. Used to have good booking, but now bookings alot of taiko one. But for a beginner it a good enough way to start off. Sonata all are diesel and comfort offer cheapest diesel, if i remember should be around $0.88

4) Prime - Not for beginner cos got to commit $5k deposit for 5 years contract. All prime taxi are CNG. Can only relief 2 days (correct me if i m wrong)

5) Transcab - Good for OMO cos benefits attractive, cons is toyota wish is on CNG, making it difficult to find relief.

So to say comfort offer a good way to start as a relief. But if you wanted to start off as OMO, transcab is better cos attractive benefits.