Rich taxi uncle, poor taxiuncle?

I thought it’s rather brave of the taxi uncle to broadcast to the world that he earns $7K a month and also shared with the world his modus operandi to reach that “grand” sum in the Sunday Times with its far flung reach among the parochial hoi polloiin SG.

I was particularly afraid that other taxi uncles and aunties who don’t share his earning capacity may take umbrage, especially when he made what I thought was an unnecessary swipe athis colleagueswho while away their lives in kopi tiams instead of on the road.

What if they decide to run him down, literally?

What i hadn’t expect was the hostility he and the Sunday Times attracted in cyberspace, with the bile spewed by one dotty blogger such as this, being a prime example.

Now let me share with you the work-style of a taxi driver whom I shall call M — the driver’s initial; not money,

M is an acquaintance of many years but has become a taxi driver in the last 10 years or so.

I called M to take me to the airport last week when I was taking a Firefly flight to KL. I don’t usually personally give M business because I drive and seldom need a paid ride even when I don’t have a car handy. Last week was an exception.

So Iwas more chatty than i would usually be with the stranger taxi driver whom I would on the rare occasion hail on the street.

“Hey I didn’t know you drivePremier taxi,” I said when we were on our way. “Always thought it was Comfort.”

“No,” replied M. “I’ve always driven Premier.” M then went on to explain that although the vehicle was “old, more than 5 years”, the daily rental at $85 was reasonable, especially when coupled with 10 rent-free days per month!

If M changes vehicles, there won’t be any more freebies. Thanks to this rental rebate, M who used to share the cab with another driver now drives the taxi alone. And hear this. M doesn’t drive regular hours — they could be morning, afternoon or night, depending on M’s preference and when there are bookings after which M then trolls the streets.

And hear this some more. M’s brother also drives a taxi. But only for one week a month, the rest of the time he spends in an Asean country doing volunteer work while his taxi is driven by a relief driver.

Idon’t know if either of the siblings earn the princely $7K that Mr Muhammad Hasnor Hashim reportedly earns. But from the fact that M and brother continue to survive, it must mean that whatever they earn from driving a taxi is giving them the lifestyle each has chosen