Joining The Force BUT Which Cab Operator ???
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Hello to all sifus,
I went to apply for a Taxi VDL at LTA yesterday and intend to make this my full time job in the very near future. Btw, I am 56 years young and have 30+ years driving experience.
So I am here now to seek some useful knowledge before deciding where to go and what to do when I eventually get my TVDL.
Before going to the LTA, I pop by the NTUC district office to find out about their
"join us scheme/drive promotion" and didn't quite like what I saw in their brochure. They will sponsor your course fees and give you some other benefits totalling about $1,600.00 but you must sign on with them for one year as a hirer of a manual Toyota cab. Manual cab is not what I had in mind . . . . . .
I plan to visit or talk to the other cab companies to find out more during the next few days as well but thought I can get some useful information from the experienced "cab masters" as one company call their hirers, to help me along . . . . .
Thanks in advance for any information and guidance as I embark on this new journey.
Any helpful hints / guidance will be much appreciated.
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bro , got time glance through the forum .
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guys here will say the same thing .
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Thanks for the tip.
yes I have been reading the taxi uncle forum, blogs and this one here :
http://sgforums.com/forums/3426/topics/455118
but have not found the answer as to which is a better way to approach
or maybe I have not read enough . . . . . . .
i understand there's no one right way to this just want to hear different
experiences from the season campaigners here from the different companies.
Thanks again and safe drive to all.
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at least tell us more info abt u 1. Where u stay 2. Doing OMO or relief (day/nite) I am from comfort, driving sonata if you take manaul cab (crown) immediately collect cab... no waiting time but if u wanna take auto (sonata), join the queue... two or three mths waiting time.. no more new cars liao.. so gonna take old cab.. i recommend you to take cab less than 2 yrs old... while waiting, you can sign up as a relief to gain some experience... can try day n night shift... see which pattern suits u.. it is a different ball game altogether for day n nite driving... gd thing if sign for comfort, call bookings plenty.. no worries.. some benefits for hirer a. 3 days no rental per yr.. b. $300 incentive per quarter (no accident claim, complains, owe rental to qualify) join other taxi co, rental cheaper after minus off incentives..and u will be super strong in sweeping...
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1) for me I joined SMRT mid 2005 cos of their aggressive recruitment. At that time they give $1,688 for new TDs, good service, benefits, repairs have downtime rebates, accident - have replacement taxi, flexible can change different type of taxi easily. but now ? most taxis booked Epica have to wait 1+ month for new TDs. HQ - woodlands/amk (servicing).Benefits left with 2 free days /mth, hv downtime for service/repair, performance benefits. Heard from colleagues who left SMRT and joined others following feedback: 2) Red - slightly better benefits, hv largest fleet after CDG. case handling NG. HQ defu Silver- better benefits, low rental but strict about getting rental. Any accident or problem pay first claim later even though not at fault. claim can take long time. HQ changi south CDG - rental rate quite good, less benefits. more bookings/corp jobs. More pumps.Popular for relief and easy to find relief. strict with discipline - see other threads relief KN sack after chasing paxs for fare payment..etc.. sack after 2 complaints.. I think there's not too much diffence joining which co. but focus more on how you drive..I stayed with same co cos have good record there and any wrong accusations/cases co on your side.. Also hv Chysler, Space, Lon, Benz can try later...
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forgot to say Epica rental very high if no relief to share/OMO..
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at least tell us more info abt u
1. Where u stay
2. Doing OMO or relief (day/nite)thanks cola for your reply .. . . .
Staying at Hougang / Kovan now but most likely will be staying in Sembawang / Yishun by the time I get my VTDL.Have to make this decision, that's why I am trying to find out more from here.i have a car now so was thinking if I go OMO, I can sell away my car and havethe use of the cab for both leisure and business. But if I do relief, then I will hhave to keep my car for personal / family time use.As to what shift to do . . . . . I am going full time so have to try out and see what suits me, also weighing the pros and cons of both day and nite driving.CDG ( Comfort / City - right ?)Was told have to be hirer ( Manual cab ) to enjoy the benefits.i forgot to ask them if can change to auto cab when available.Will probably have to ask them again.Are you driving for CDG ?advantage of CDG, have lots of bookings . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Thanks ken for your reply, useful insight for me.But what is :RED - SMRT ?Silver - Premier ?what is NG ??.?What kind of cab can a newbie like me take ?by the way, is there a faster way of getting the VTDL ?saw one of the companies website says " super fast course " oor something like that.but when I spoke to the lady at CDG kiosk, she says, No, everyone goes thru the same course.thanks again for all your inputs. -
red- transcab..
omo for cdg?
veri they will ask u to rt cab if ur daily mileage below 250km....all those super fast course, u nid drive for them the lau koh koh toyota..
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if you are doing OMO, u must decide on your driving pattern to counter your overheads (ie rental, petrol) minimise using ur cab for personal stuffs.. very tiring leh imagine you work, then send kids, wife to places, back to work again.. How many hrs u wanna be on the road? if u decide to drive for red gang (transcab), a. choose chevvy epica. not sure the waiting time... b. not recommend to take wish CNG as u stay in yishun / semb, thou u can pump CNG in mandai (nearest) if u decide to drive for comfort a. u can insist driving for sonata, join the long queue lor... dun let them pyscho u into taking the crown. once take crown, very hard to switch to auto unless the crown is due for scrap. do not sign for prime unless u are alright with signing a long contract with them. No chance for getting a relief (only 12 days per year) e rest i not sure liao...
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drive sonato auto also have the benefits (maybe less refund of course fee) lah.... dun let them bluff u into taking crown.. see link for benefits http://www.cdgtaxi.com.sg/cabbies_drivewithus_benefits_hirer.mvn;jsessionid=39D393091FE32A1C677A63137E227BAE?cid=65917
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newbies like u should just take a Nissan Cedric,cos low rental and scrap date is near,so any minor accidents or dents just don't report.OMO is the way to go
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Originally posted by foolsh_2000:
newbies like u should just take a Nissan Cedric,cos low rental and scrap date is near,so any minor accidents or dents just don't report.OMO is the way to go
i fully agree
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Ya agree shud take low rent Cedric to do OMO. I first started OMO Cedric, then Crown, now Epica. SInce most companies hard to change veh. now, you can change when Cedric scrap phased out. Think as newcomer U will have no problem hittting new LTA requirement of 250KM a day. I used to do 500-600k a day OMO. For the course, they hv internet fast course in 2005 . Just study 1-2 days than wait for exam date. not sure now have or not. I admire yr patience to check so much. For me just join a friend with experience to mentor. Oh NG (no good), leave TC drivers to comment on their claims handling...
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newbies, close your eye and take any taxi from any co will do.
you will find out, it's all the same, Problem
this is not a marriage, where you got to keep your vow for life
when you like, when you tulan....... just switch company or Taxi
newbies always asking for the BEST choice, this will happen even if this forum got 100 years old
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Thanks again cola for your advise.
So I can sign up with CDG and insist I want a Sonata Auto or whatever nnewer cab and not take the manual Toyota Crown, correct ?
I am going to talk to them again, just want to confirm this fact here.
I am leaning towards CDG or SMRT now, based on what I have learned from here.
Trans-cab - Poolman 's thread - "Revealing The Ugly Thruth About" is putting me off them at the moment but I am not writing anyone off just yet.
Thanks f-2000 and BCL for posting your comments here..
Nice to know that my thot of going OMO is correct . . . . . . .
Please share your thots about the advantage of being a OMO if you don't mind.
No Sir, I do not want to be tied to a Manual cab for a year.
In fact I like to drive manual cars from time to time but as for driving a manual cab for a year, I don't think I will have fun doing that, I have to enjoy doing it then i can do it for a long time. It will put me off driving it when I get caught in traffic crawls or city traffic with lots of stop / start. And being a newbie, I would think that I will have to be more attentive to the surrounding eg taking mental notes of routes, landmarks etc etc rather than having to pay attention to the clutch and shifter. Just my views, constructive comments welcomed.
thanks again and safe drive all . . . . .
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When comes to taxi driving, 30+ years of driving experience also no use. The driving pattern is different, you will encounter funny things which you had never encounter before when driving pte car. "I'm not referring to stopping for pax."
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Originally posted by OptimalTrans:
newbies, close your eye and take any taxi from any co will do.
you will find out, it's all the same, Problem
this is not a marriage, where you got to keep your vow for life
when you like, when you tulan....... just switch company or Taxi
newbies always asking for the BEST choice, this will happen even if this forum got 100 years old
very gd advice, got taxi licence, join cdg as a relief 1st. maybe, after the 1st few shift. u may want to throw keys?
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Originally posted by alpacino:
Hello to all sifus,
I went to apply for a Taxi VDL at LTA yesterday and intend to make this my full time job in the very near future. Btw, I am 56 years young and have 30+ years driving experience.
So I am here now to seek some useful knowledge before deciding where to go and what to do when I eventually get my TVDL.
Before going to the LTA, I pop by the NTUC district office to find out about their
"join us scheme/drive promotion" and didn't quite like what I saw in their brochure. They will sponsor your course fees and give you some other benefits totalling about $1,600.00 but you must sign on with them for one year as a hirer of a manual Toyota cab. Manual cab is not what I had in mind . . . . . .
I plan to visit or talk to the other cab companies to find out more during the next few days as well but thought I can get some useful information from the experienced "cab masters" as one company call their hirers, to help me along . . . . .
Thanks in advance for any information and guidance as I embark on this new journey.
Any helpful hints / guidance will be much appreciated.
If you are not good in routes or have to depend on GPS, don't join Comfort Delgro. CDG will terminate you if you get a complaint of wrong route every month. In my three months of driving for CDG, I got 3 complaints for wrong routes only. I got terminated.
Join them only if you are very familiar with all routes in Singapore. If not, start with other taxi companies besides CDG.
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Originally posted by Cash Lee:
When comes to taxi driving, 30+ years of driving experience also no use. The driving pattern is different, you will encounter funny things which you had never encounter before when driving pte car. "I'm not referring to stopping for pax."
I agree totally.
Unfortunately! those making the rules, have driven private cars for more than 50 years. So they believe! they know what taxi driving is like.
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Originally posted by PS2U:
If you are not good in routes or have to depend on GPS, don't join Comfort Delgro. CDG will terminate you if you get a complaint of wrong route every month. In my three months of driving for CDG, I got 3 complaints for wrong routes only. I got terminated.
Join them only if you are very familiar with all routes in Singapore. If not, start with other taxi companies besides CDG.
Dunno route ask pax lor
need open your golden mouth
ego put one side
i also noobie rely heavy on my gps take calls
sometime need use creativity to reach pax destination using gps
even noobie like me can do
why others cannot
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if having a stable job that pays you about $3K a month with full benefits...
den think of switching to driving taxis...
only one advice for you:
Mai Siao Lah!
drive taxi heng one month $3K.. if no luck tat month $2.5K also dun hav... kenan accident... one month profits go to inssurance excess... eat grass for tat month...
no leave... no MC... no medical beneifits... no bonus...
damn tis forum... make it so attrative to drive taxis...
so many switch to driving taxis after reading tis forum... when become TD liao... nabei... drive taxi why so hard?... den quietly leave the trade...
if me never chance upon tis froum... destiny might be totally different....
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Originally posted by colafantasy:
if you are doing OMO, u must decide on your driving pattern to counter your overheads (ie rental, petrol)
minimise using ur cab for personal stuffs.. very tiring leh
imagine you work, then send kids, wife to places, back to work again.. How many hrs u wanna be on the road?
if u decide to drive for red gang (transcab),
a. choose chevvy epica. not sure the waiting time…
b. not recommend to take wish CNG as u stay in yishun / semb, thou u can pump CNG in mandai (nearest)if u decide to drive for comfort
a. u can insist driving for sonata, join the long queue lor… dun let them pyscho u into taking the crown. once take crown, very hard to switch to auto unless the crown is due for scrap.
do not sign for prime unless u are alright with signing a long contract with them. No chance for getting a relief (only 12 days per year)
e rest i not sure liao…
RED gangster... epica piority for crown scrape vehicle...
follow by those wish drivers with valid reasons to change...
certain catergory of new drivers will be considered for epica.. me know the citeria... but not at liberty to disclose company policies...
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TS is a rebel or Mr GoodMan type ?????
If rebel , cannot join CDG , CDG's first criteria " Yes Sir! " " Sorry Sir!"
The best is SMRT ....... whatever complaint all chuke into the rubbish bins .
SMRT si mi termination ?
Never heard off ..... but return taxi time can be quite teruk .