HE works 13-hour shifts - and earns just $6 an hour.
That's less than the going rate of some telemarketeers, who can earn up to $10 an hour.
This is today's harsh reality for taxi drivers like MrCH Ng, 42, what with the falling demand for cabs since last September.
Peak hours in the past meant just that - peak-hour demand for cabs. Not so today. Mr Ng spends half an hour waiting for passengers at the largely empty taxi stands in the prime Orchard Road area.
Could the variety of surcharges, introduced during good times, be the cause? Is it time to do something about peak-hour surcharges?
Said Mr Ng: "The economy is bad and with the peak-hour surcharges, most people these days just don't want to take taxis."
Another cabby, who wished to be known only as MrRoslan, 51, agreed: "The best thing to do is to drop the 35 per cent peak-hour surcharge. There are fewer people taking taxis because of the cost, so if you lower fares, more people will take taxis."
A longer wait means smaller takings for cabbies.
Barely enough
Mr Ng has seen a drop of 30 per cent in takings since the recession began to bite last year.
He now typically makes about $210 after a 13-hour shift. After deducting his daily rental of $88 and petrol costs of $42, he's left with just $80.
This means he earns just $6.15 an hour. It's hardly enough to get by, he said, especially since he has to support his wife, 48, and two school-going sons, aged 21 and 17.
The monthly road tax rebate of $51, which he will receive from his taxi company, ComfortDelGro, starting from next month for six months will "help a little", he said.
But a move that would help taxi drivers more, he said, would be lowering taxi fares. This is what smaller companies like Smart Taxis and Premier Taxis suggested earlier last week, he said.
He said: "I think cutting fares will help, so that's something I hope the company will consider."
Even though waiting for passengers takes up most of his time, he persists because, as he puts it: "We have no choice. We need customers to earn a living."
For relief drivers like Mr Richard Koh, 46, who won't be getting any road tax rebates from his taxi company, the situation is more dire.
The driver of eight years has seen a drop of 35 per cent in takings. He now makes about $130 a day, of which $50 goes to his daily rental (which he shares with the vehicle's hirer) and $30 to petrol.
He's left with a meagre $50 after working a 10-hour shift.
But he disagrees with Mr Ng about a fare cut.
He said: "The entire economy is down, so even if you cut fares ,that won't be of any use. People are generally trying to spend less, so they would rather take buses and trains, which are much cheaper."
Instead, Mr Koh, who was spotted waiting for 20 minutes at the Lucky Plaza taxi stand, suggested that petrol prices be slashed to help cabbies.
Cabby Tan Kah Hiok, 52, agreed: "Cutting taxi fares will only help us if the taxi companies also cut our rental. Otherwise, it just means we will face an even greater loss of income."
Near-empty stands
A New Paper on Sunday check earlier this week at three taxi stands in the Orchard shopping belt found snaking queues of empty cabs waiting at near-empty taxi stands in the evening.
Mr Ng patiently waited for half an hour to turn into the taxi stand at Paragon Shopping Centre along Bideford Road.
The queue of taxis - including those waiting to turn in from Orchard Road - was at least 40 vehicles long.
Over at Ngee Ann City, close to 40 cabs waited to turn into the taxi stand from Orchard Turn. Likewise at Lucky Plaza, about 20 empty cabs were waiting for passengers.
While the roads were generally free of traffic because of the ERP, the long queue of cabs slowed down traffic considerably as their vehicles hogged the turning lane.
Just six months ago, it took just about five minutes or so to get passengers, said the cabbies we spoke to. -------------------------------------------00000000000000000000---------------------------- shall we take our own poll whether taking away surcharges will bring back paxs & increase our earnings?
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If you are willing to admit faults, you have one less fault to admit.
He now typically makes about $210 after a 13-hour shift. After deducting his daily rental of $88 and petrol costs of $42, he's left with just $80.
$210 collection in 13 hours is super for half shift. Instead of begging for less rental, OMO should consider throw in towel and work as hirer/relief with good friends therefore income +$44 and coys hahaha got more returned cabs in carparks. When annual report comes, hahaha ...see who die first!
In an office environment, if the boss gives incentives base on performance, the hardworking ones love it cos they piak got meaning, but those like to snake dislike it. If no incentives, those hardworking ones dislike it cos no matter how hard they work still the same salary as those who snake
Back to taxi driving, for those able to pick up pax during hours with surcharges will definately vote against taking away surcharges, whereas those unable to pick up pax during these hours will hope that by taking away the surchages (and hope that pax will increase) they will get a chance at picking up pax
I'm definately against the idea of take away surcharges
