getting ready for great new adventures......

Premier Taxis will be first to impose a surcharge of $3.00 for trips that begin at the Integrated Resorts (IR) come Jan 18. Most Taxi companies have confirmed that they will be following suit at later dates except for ComfortDelgro, the largest Taxi company with a fleet of about 15,000 taxis. They have not indicated that they will be applying for a surcharge just yet.

Meantime, for our company's cabbies, like myself, it will definitely be an exciting boost towards earning a bit more extra when we get started. I am looking forward to picking up my first passenger from the IR, it is going to be another important area to 'queue' up, just like in many other locations including Changi Airport, the Singapore Expo and Seletar Airport as well. It will definitely be a 'jamming' and 'chaotic' affair on day one, and to experience it will be most memorable for me.

Over the past 2 days, taxi drivers were learning to find their way in and out of Resorts World Sentosa and being shown where the drop-off points for visitors are. Many taxis turned up for the orientation, it was orderly and most informative for all who attended.

Beginning of the year has been rather quiet and slow for some and the coming of new entertainment spots in Singapore will be most welcomed by all.

Looking Back...

I first started driving  for TIBS in 1997, and the Taxi company located in Ang Moh Kio had container boxes fully airconditioned as a temporary office where we had to go and pay our taxi rentals every 2 days in cash. We were given 2 white long sleeve shirts and 2 grey long pants a year, every year. 
From then on everyday I had to wear white long sleeve shirts and the grey pants and it is as though we were wearing school uniforms. We looked smart in it and whenever we took a break for lunch or dinner, nobody can tell if we were taxi drivers or office workers. I drove for this company till it was taken over by SMRT. I started driving for SMRT since its inception till April this year when I switched to Premier Taxis - Silvercab. 
It does not really matter which Taxi company you join so long as you pay your rentals promptly. Every Taxi company offers incentives for various schemes and you sign up for a particular one you choose. You pay higher rentals for new Taxis and different rental schemes for older makes. Most of my taxi friends each drive for different Taxi companies and we often exchange and compare views about our company's different operational styles, advantages and disadvantages, bonuses, incentives, diesel prices, time taken to service our vehicles every month and other highlights. 
Every taxi driver has his own group of friends and we meet up everyday at different locations all over the island to get together and have coffee or dinner , chit chats but more so to rest our weary legs. We share our daily adventures, news, family, commitments, problems and assist each other where there is any need. All of us look forward to our get togethers everyday at a certain time and certain place and we contact one another through our mobiles should there be any change of time or venue. We are always helping each other in finding locations and directions whilst plying the roads for passengers....