When
26-year-old Chamkour Singh wanted to become a cabby in 1978, he
needed $30,000 - a sizeable amount considering that his Clementi
flat cost $12,000 back then.
With a bank
loan and family support, he managed to put together the $20,000
needed for a brand- new Datsun, and another $10,000 for a
yellow-top taxi licence.
Mr Singh
struggled to pay off the debt in the first two years - spending up
to 16 hours a day on the road - but working as a cabby allowed him
to put his two children through university.
Today,
65-year-old Mr Singh is among a vanishing breed of cabbies who
privately own and operate their cabs, unlike the majority who rent
their cabs from companies.
Although, like
all in the profession, they have to get the taxi driver's
vocational licence, they don't pay rent and don't have to meet an
operator's taxi availability standards. Also, unlike other drivers,
they pay for their own cab's certificate of entitlement.
He said: "With
your own taxi, you have more freedom. When you rent from a company,
you have to adhere to their rules and regulations... Having a
yellow-top is like having your own house."
As of last
month, there were only 100 such cabs - called yellow-tops for their
distinctive yellow roofs. This accounts for close to 0.4 per cent
of the total taxi population of more than 26,000. In the 1960s, the
3,800 yellow-tops were synonymous with taxis.
A spokesman
for the Land Transport Authority said the average age of the
yellow-top drivers now stands at 67.5 years. In comparison, the
average age of the general cabby is 55 as of two years ago. The
last yellow-top taxi will be phased out in 15 years' time, as the
younger drivers in the group hit the age of 75, the age ceiling for
cabbies.
Their decline
can be traced back to the 1970s, when the Government changed its
policy to issue taxi licences only to entities, rather than to
individuals. Subsequently, it was mandated that the licences were
non-transferable.Street smarts and experience keep their wheels
rolling in the face of stiff competition from private-hire car
services.
Mr Tan Cheong
Shiaw, 64, who started driving a yellow-top in 1979, said in
Mandarin: "There are fewer customers hailing cabs on the road now.
A lot of young people and professionals like to use the mobile
phone to call for an Uber.
"But there's
still business. At least $40 to $50 in profit every day. On a good
day, $70 to $100," added Mr Tan, who plies the roads from 6am to
5pm daily.
Mr Quek Chin
Poh, 64, a part-time yellow-top cabby, described his tactic: "If I
see potential customers standing by the kerb holding their phones
trying to book a ride, I'll drive by slowly, and sometimes they
will take my taxi in the interest of time."
Yellow-tops
were brought in by Wearne Brothers, the predecessor of automotive
dealer Wearnes, and first hit the roads in May 1933.
Industry
veteran Neo Moh Hock, 65, the owner of Beach Road Radio Taxi
Service, feels that yellow-top taxis should be preserved because of
their legacy.
"There's a
story to tell of the first taxis in Singapore," he added.
Mr Singh is
adapting to the new landscape, registering with Grab to take
bookings through the app's GrabTaxi service. He said: "It has
helped me a lot. If I ferry a passenger to Tuas, there's a chance I
can get a passenger on the way out, with a GrabTaxi booking."
He has had to
work hard and manage his finances so he can pay for the annual road
tax, insurance, maintenance, and also a new taxi every eight years.
He purchased a new Toyota Wish last December, which will be his
last yellow-top taxi.
Looking back,
he said: "I don't regret it. The taxi has given both my children a
good education... and it also supports my hobbies of golf and
tennis."