Dear TRS,
I've been a taxi driver full time for a year now. And I can explain why are taxi fare the way it is now.
First off, let us look at a full time solo driver's daily running cost and expenses. We assume the driver has to take a new taxi which is usually the case as taxi co. will normally push for it.
Taxi rental: $133 daily giro
Day Diesel: $40 based on 400km
2 meals and 1 kopi plus parking: $10
Monthly season parking by day: $2
Pay erp to enter cbd to find passenger: $2 x 4 = $8
Total: $194 COST!
That's the amount of cost we are looking at!
Ok let's now put the assumption that this cabby drives 14 hours a day excluding break time. And earning is based on average per hour.
Not only based on my driving style but all other styles I have known of others cabbies. So calculation are all based on average earning.
He drives 6am till 8pm non stop solid drive.
AM peak hour: $27 per hour = 27 × 3.5 = $95
After 9.30am to 6pm: $18 per hour = 18 x 8.5 = $163
6pm to 8pm: $30 per hour = 27 x 2 = $54
Gross earning: $312 Nett profit $312 - $194= $118
Not bad huh.
That's assuming he didn't stop at all for toilet and short kopi break. So monthly income? $118 x 30 days = $3540!!!
Good? Think again.
This guy doesn't have a single off day, no annual leave, zero benefit. Can't afford to fall sick or praying very hard that his taxi doesn't break down.
So to all commuters, please look at this factual breakdown before you grumble our singapore taxi are expensive when at the first place, it's the daily cost which is draining us off.
And FYI, based on first world city, our taxi are already considered one of the cheapest but with the highest cost. Think again before asking for discount from cabbies when they take a small wrong turn next time, it's not what we want but we are just tired after a long day.
Thanks for reading.
Gu Junjie
TRS Contributor