To be or not to be... a TD

LetsUnite SG

Apologies for the corny title LOL just wanted to share my current predicament.

I've always had a dream ever since I was young, not a very big dreamer, but I always wanted to be a bus driver or a taxi driver. The idea of being on the road and meeting different people always intrigued me.

Have been married for about 2 years now with no kids only outputs I have is my house and monthly expenditures. Just joined the 30s club and am working in a reputable MNC making about 45k a year, something I'm not too happy about. Reason being, I'm sick and tired of the stress and waking up every morning and dragging myself to work and dreading to deal with the shit I do day in and day out. The monotony and stress of it all is just eating me up inside.

So right now I'm thinking about becoming a TD to give me more job sastisfaction. My main concerns are, similar to many aspiring TDs, Finance wise and is this a good decision?
I know this is something ultimately I have to decide on my own, but to hear from fellow veterans would at least give me better insight into what I would be getting myself into. Then there's the Uber scene. So please, fellow TDs out there I seek your input on this one. Please forgive me if this was a little lengthy. Your inputs are extremely appreciated. Thanks ^_^

Pandanchen SG

i passed the test and got the VDL in 2009

i started to drive taxi in 2015

so you were saying?

my humble advice: if you have a stable job u just stick to it. don't ever drive a taxi

Pandanchen SG

maybe you buy me ya kun coffee and we have a chat about your ambition to drive a taxi

cheers

f1taxidriver SG

No matter what you must stick to your office job and dont give up. There is nothing about being a cabby that is desirable. Many many cabbies will gladly exchange places with you I swear.

peterpan212 SG

td is last choice. u can be td till more than 70 yrs old. u tink no chance. alternatively u may try out as a relief for weekend.

Jason65 SG

By next year there will be a whole fleet of driverless taxis (DTs) hitting the roads. These taxis will cost less to operate while reaping higher profits.. They will even be able to undercut UG, thus driving all competition to the ground. Becoming a TD now will be equivalent to those who went into photo developing business after the introduction of digital cameras into the market. So it would be better to go work as trolley pusher in airport as more of them will be needed when T4 opens next year. Cos this is what many TDs will end up doing in the future.

peterpan212 SG

https://youtu.be/xWpL_Jgvjlk

is tis driveless taxi u r talking?

Jason65 SG

Yes. Here is an article about this

http://newshub.assetmag.co.za/svw1/item/19909136

Jason65 SG

Taxilim88 SG

Just getting approval to put electric taxis on the road has taken more than 3 years. And it is not even approved yet as of now. You got LTA, NEA, EMA, URA, HDB, EDB and a whole lot of other agencies to clear. You go and ask HDT their frustrations. Many other countries have already implemented electric vehicles for years.

Whole fleet of driverless taxis by next year? Legal framework, regulatory approvals, ethics, safety, liabilities, accountabilities, political and a whole lot of other things need to be considered first. Just implementing licence for Uber and Grab drivers already take some 2 years to decide.

You think Singapore will be the first country in the world to implement driverless taxis? Wait long long lah.

Go and solve the MRT and Lift issues first.

Neutral-Thinker SG

The people pushing for driverless taxis are people dying to put driverless taxis into the market to see their work in place and make money. However, they are far from being ready as there are too many scenarios that they cannot handle.

Do we want to put these taxis in Singapore to endanger Singaporeans lives and rice bowls or is it wiser to see such technology being perfected in those countries that design and manufacture such cars before we comtemplate evening putting any of these cars on our roads? Remember, the countries that are designing (and possibly manufacturing) such vehicles all have very expensive taxi fares and this is the reason why they embarked on driverless car projects.

If any of these designers could drive taxis in Singapore, they would find out they are unable to meet the requirements of normal taxi riders and other duties executors such as policemen, car park / taxi stand / hotel lobby marshallers. They would also find out that in real situations such as 2 lanes closed on normal roads and expressways and construction repairs, their vehicles would be struck on the road causing huge congessions.

decent02 SG

Your annual 45k is inclusive of cpf, 13 mth bonus ???

LetsUnite SG

That's all in including CPF. No bonus, never gotten bonus in my entire life LOL.

Latest update, seems like I might not be given a chance to stay longer in my company due to some issues that have popped up. Right now situation has gotten worse. Slowly from depression panic is sinking in as I face the reality that I might lose my job.

So thus the reason for my enquiry into this.

decent02 SG

My advice go n try out as a relief driver during weekend.
Example sat sun day shift or Fri sat night shift.
Keep your day job first.
Dun ever be a hirer. income of a full time taxi driver will be definitely
Lower than 45k.
Let’s say u drive 5 days a week.
One day 12 hours shift with 8 hours real driving n 4 hours in coffee shop / rest n queue in taxi, average $100 a day.
One month 2k.
If you want to earn more than have to work 7 days a week. So 2k a mth is around 24k per annum.

bowah SG

I think it is a matter of “Go with your heart” Life is not long, even I got a chance to get $100k per year, but not happy, what is the use?

Do what you like, if you like and dream of being a taxi driver, go ahead, just do it. But if you are going to compare $$ instead of yr life and dream, then forget about taxi, go be a broker or like me, a casket driver cum casket marketing sale director at hospital better.

Everyone of those poster on top of me will encourage you not to drive because they come into taxi driving as a last resort, meaning, no choice. But if you come in with a dream and wanting to be, that is different, it is not a last resort for you, ride your dream.

Although there are many taxi driver, like those above, keep kpkb everyday, there are some who enjoyed it.

Taxilim88 SG

Dreams and reality don't often mix. The best combo for you is to get a full time job that can pay your bills and live out your dreams as a weekend relief driver. You will enjoy driving taxi better.

Driving for fun to earn some pocket money and driving full time for a living are two worlds apart.

foolsh_2000 SG

What's so fun being a taxi drvr?u think ur out to impress women?

LetsUnite SG

What's so fun being a taxi drvr?u think ur out to impress women?

LOL thanks for sharing that. Your view really made my day, never would have thought of it that way but hey, everyone's entitled to their own opinion.

Really appreciate everyone's input thanks a bunch, its given me a much better view on things. Keep them coming so fellow aspiring TD's can also gather some tips from fellow veterans.

foolsh_2000 SG

Public perception of TD very negative.u goto any local forums,very few support TD.so u still want to be a TD?

LetsUnite SG

Public perception of TD very negative.u goto any local forums,very few support TD.so u still want to be a TD?

To me its an honest living. Why care what people say? People also look down on cleaners but I still think its an honest living.

I've learnt to not care what people say, most importantly end of the day when I go home I'm happy my wife happy and I go to bed happy. That would be the ultimate best.