Taxi Drivers and the SARS situation

[Silverelf]

Just want to know what you guys think of the aid given to Taxi drivers at this time of hardship.

Do you guys think the current $10 reduction in rental is enough to help them along?

If a taxi driver is on MC with fever he will be given 25% rental reduction. And if he is quaratined rental is waived.

Are these measures adequate?

Hope this isn't considered political but if it is, do what you must yeah?

 

[GoclPa]

i feel that the rental should be reduced by at least half..

they cant even earn enough to support themselves.. hence many stop being a taxi-driver..not to mention the number of part-time drivers who do not want to take up offers by the full-time drivers to rent their car..

 

[ninelives]

i am still taking taxi . I feel safer. i don't know wat people is afraid of. Taking MRT even worst! Imagine people standing so close to each other during 7-9 AM.

 

[iceman]

just to add that the S$10 is for the rental of the vehicle - ie the taxi driver practically gets S$5 (since they are on shifts).

i spoke to a few drivers and business has really been hit, down by up to 50% and accordingly to them, what they earn is not enough to cover the rental.

Originally posted by Silverelf
Just want to know what you guys think of the aid given to Taxi drivers at this time of hardship.

Do you guys think the current $10 reduction in rental is enough to help them along?

If a taxi driver is on MC with fever he will be given 25% rental reduction. And if he is quaratined rental is waived.

Are these measures adequate?

Hope this isn't considered political but if it is, do what you must yeah?

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by ninelives
i am still taking taxi . I feel safer. i don't know wat people is afraid of. Taking MRT even worst! Imagine people standing so close to each other during 7-9 AM.

Precisely. I all started when a SARS patient was found to have taken a taxi.....

Imagine what happens if a SARS patient was found travelling on the MRT.

Regards
CK

 

[Pepper]

I think everyone should not depend on government for help. They should plan for contingencies, have savings to tied over. If my retail business is down due to SAR, must the government help me pay my rent, feed my family? Give me hand out? Everyone is affected by SAR, I believe everyone should solve our own problem and stop asking too much.

I don't think taxi driver should get any help from the government, maybe for 1 or 2 months. Times are bad for everyone, if they cannot make it, then they should look for job elsewhere.

Just my 2 nickel.

 

[maddog]

Originally posted by ninelives
i am still taking taxi . I feel safer. i don't know wat people is afraid of. Taking MRT even worst! Imagine people standing so close to each other during 7-9 AM.

exactly.. its funny to see how people throw out logic and react in times of crisis.

 

[Silverelf]

Originally posted by Pepper
I think everyone should not depend on government for help. They should plan for contingencies, have savings to tied over. If my retail business is down due to SAR, must the government help me pay my rent, feed my family? Give me hand out? Everyone is affected by SAR, I believe everyone should solve our own problem and stop asking too much.

I don't think taxi driver should get any help from the government, maybe for 1 or 2 months. Times are bad for everyone, if they cannot make it, then they should look for job elsewhere.

Just my 2 nickel.

I don't mean that the GOVERNMENT should be giving them handouts. The $10 reduction is from the TAXI COMPANIES . But then again there are people who say that Taxi companies are the government

Well, let's just do some simple maths. On a daily rental of $90, just paying for the taxi will mean $5400 for 2 months. That excludes fuel costs which is about $0.66/litre currently??

Not to mention that many taxi drivers have very little savings because even in good times most of their earnings have been given to the company in the form of rentals.

I agree that one should not depend on handouts. So what happens to those poor souls who cannot tide over?

 

[Silverelf]

Originally posted by ckiang
Precisely. I all started when a SARS patient was found to have taken a taxi.....

Imagine what happens if a SARS patient was found travelling on the MRT.

Regards
CK

How do you know SARS patoent never travel on MRT?? scary thought eh?

 

[maddog]

I noticed Taxi drivers are more polite nowadays. The last cabbie thanked me quite a few times. I asked how business was and they said that some days they don't earn a single cent.

 

[sehsuan]

a related topic is that the temperature measurement for the S11 opposite my place, which was shut down a couple of weeks back, is ineffective - one of the storeholders was wearing a "i measured 35.6 degrees" sticker.... :dunno:

 

[s_wrx]

taxi drivers are weird... this has happened to me quite a times liao... asked them to go to NUS, they'll ask me NUH/NUS... if going NEAR NUH, they won't pick me up at all man...

still ever so picky on their customers huh? sigh..

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by Silverelf
How do you know SARS patoent never travel on MRT?? scary thought eh?

Yes, very. Imagine if a SARS patient has just hung on to that very same handle you are now holding on.... scary.

Regards
CK

 

[Snowcrash]

Originally posted by Silverelf

Well, let's just do some simple maths. On a daily rental of $90, just paying for the taxi will mean $5400 for 2 months. That excludes fuel costs which is about $0.66/litre currently??

Not to mention that many taxi drivers have very little savings because even in good times most of their earnings have been given to the company in the form of rentals.

I agree that one should not depend on handouts. So what happens to those poor souls who cannot tide over?

Taxi-drivers do earn good money during good times.

IMHO, Those who cannot make it are those who don't do any financial planning then and have to suffer now.

BTW, Good times don't last forever, neither do BAD TIMES.

 

[petaflopz]

Originally posted by maddog
I noticed Taxi drivers are more polite nowadays. The last cabbie thanked me quite a few times. I asked how business was and they said that some days they don't earn a single cent.

I agree that they are more friendly and courteous nowadays (not that they were not previously... but in comparison, it is more obvious nowadays) probably forced by circumstance?
Recently, most of the cabbies greet me when I get up the taxi...

 

[lavenderlilz]

Originally posted by maddog
I noticed Taxi drivers are more polite nowadays. The last cabbie thanked me quite a few times. I asked how business was and they said that some days they don't earn a single cent.

yeah & they seem so grateful especially when I tell them to keep the change! Very poor thing.

 

[Silverelf]

Originally posted by Snowcrash
Taxi-drivers do earn good money during good times.

IMHO, Those who cannot make it are those who don't do any financial planning then and have to suffer now.

BTW, Good times don't last forever, neither do BAD TIMES.

This is what every one thinks. They make good money, IF they run up $300 in fares daily at least.

They are different from us salaried people, if we lose our jobs, we just have to tighten our daily expenses. But they still have to pay the rentals. It's true that they should have financial planning and all that, but how long do you think savings will last if you have to dig out at least $100 from your a/c everyday?

If times are bad for taxi drivers, then why can't times be bad for the company as well? You know what I mean?

 

[taker]

Some of my relatives own shops/food stall etc. They still had to pay rent in this bad times. Not sure they should expect/ask the Landlord or the government to reduce rent coz they don't earn much. What happens if they are down with SARS? Should the government/landlord help them just like the Taxi driver?

I remembered when times are good, I got curse shouted at me from Taxi driver for flagging them down and don't want to take.

I remembered at Suntech City, empty cabs cruise round and round marina sq refusing to pick up street passengers or those at taxi stand just waiting for a call.

More recently, I also remembered being asked to alight from a Taxi I boarded coz he says he got a call passenger to take.

Maybe these are some of the black sheeps I meet. I take cab frequently, only a handful impresses me with their service. These I would say they deserve reward/help from their company for their excellent service/performance. To the rest, I am less sympathetic.

 

[Silverelf]

Originally posted by taker
I remembered when times are good, I got curse shouted at me from Taxi driver for flagging them down and don't want to take.

Just curious. Why you flag them then don't want to take??

 

[Snowcrash]

Originally posted by Silverelf
This is what every one thinks. They make good money, IF they run up $300 in fares daily at least.

They are different from us salaried people, if we lose our jobs, we just have to tighten our daily expenses. But they still have to pay the rentals. It's true that they should have financial planning and all that, but how long do you think savings will last if you have to dig out at least $100 from your a/c everyday?

If times are bad for taxi drivers, then why can't times be bad for the company as well? You know what I mean?

So when we lose our job, how long can we last if I had to dig out MORE than $100/day from our a/c?
Financial planning is important for salaried people but more for those running a business/self-employed.

Key word:- Cashflow.

I don't understand your sentence "times are bad for taxi drivers, theny why can't times be bad for the company as well?" Pls explain.

And read in 8th May Newpaper how a Degree Holder taxi driver survived during this tough times...:thumbsup: for him.