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O_jigger · Veteran Member

New Start

O_jigger · Veteran Member

Happy CNY to all members!

I have just passed my TDVL course on my first try earlier this week. Now i am waiting for smrt to call and notify me that my TDVL is ready for collection. Meanwhile i have decided to become a hirer with SMRT. Any advise from more experienced TD?

Rom · A Forum Mentor

first of all, congratulation to you!! :D

I'm new too & I've yet to get my vehicle, until mid-march. from my findings, SMRT will rebate the course fee back to you if you become their hirer within 2 months from getting your TDVL but they are going to bond you for 1 year. The brochure states that there is an incentive of up to $1827 per year but it is being paid to the hirer on a daily pro-rated payout. 12 days rental-free is based on 1 day free per month. Hope you have find out all the details & clauses they are having & giving you.

Think carefully, if you are really going into this line firmly without any return road. 1 year bond can be a long way to go. If yes, by all means. Btw, are they offering you the new patch of Epica?

Drive cautiously & be safe on the road. All the best! ;)

O_jigger · Veteran Member

Hey bro Rom nice to see a reply finally!
Yes i am going to be a hirer with Smrt read through all the fine prints already and i felt that it is within my acceptable range.
May i know which company you are getting your vehicle from?
And also all the best. And see you on the road!

Rom · A Forum Mentor

O_jigger wrote:
Hey bro Rom nice to see a reply finally!
Yes i am going to be a hirer with Smrt read through all the fine prints already and i felt that it is within my acceptable range.
May i know which company you are getting your vehicle from?
And also all the best. And see you on the road!

i understand your feeling. waiting for reply can be torturing biggrin

i only carry good intention for which we are kinda on the "same boat" ma. wink

good to know that you are clear on all details. Actually I personally having a crave for SMRT's maloon color Epica. Looks good to me. hehe. It's the 1 year bond that turns me off.

Unless I switch from other company to get their vehicle (by the time that I really feel that taxi driving can be my future career path), if not as a new TD, I do not dare to take up the 1 year bond challenge.

I'll be getting my cab from CDG on mid-march, next month.

Remember to get the company letter from them on the day of collection of vehicle, to go apply for your season parking. ^_^

O_jigger · Veteran Member

Frankly speaking there is not much of a bond if you do your maths carefully for my case.
As i signed up for the course with Smrt, i have those benefits which you mentioned. Upon getting my TVL and signing up as a hirer with SMRT, they would credit $500 into my account but it will be in the form of my SD. I will have to fork out another $500 for my SD that is.
Once i complete 2 months of being a hirer, they would credit $250 into my account which is the bonus. After 6 months, they would credit another $300.
Once you hit the 6 month period, i would say more or less you break even. Cos they would deduct $300 from your SD should you give up the vehicle after 6 months. Maybe some will tell me the benefits for the hirer with Smrt is not as good as with other company, but i feel it really depends on yourself to see which company will offer the best package which will suit you.

Rom · A Forum Mentor

O_jigger wrote:
Frankly speaking there is not much of a bond if you do your maths carefully for my case.
As i signed up for the course with Smrt, i have those benefits which you mentioned. Upon getting my TVL and signing up as a hirer with SMRT, they would credit $500 into my account but it will be in the form of my SD. I will have to fork out another $500 for my SD that is.
Once i complete 2 months of being a hirer, they would credit $250 into my account which is the bonus. After 6 months, they would credit another $300.
Once you hit the 6 month period, i would say more or less you break even. Cos they would deduct $300 from your SD should you give up the vehicle after 6 months. Maybe some will tell me the benefits for the hirer with Smrt is not as good as with other company, but i feel it really depends on yourself to see which company will offer the best package which will suit you.

I understand. Personally, my concern is that I'm still unsure about my path in this field. I can only 100% confirm that I LOVE driving, but my route is very much dependent on GPS, unless got guidance from passengers. I'm now unsure for being competence in this field. That is the main reason holding me back from choosing SMRT. Story aside, main reason for choosing CDG is that they have no bond, which means I can jump ship when I feel the need. If not, I may stay with them, no one knows the future.

nice to share more information here. ;) yup, i agree, it's up to each own to decide. What other people can only be taken in as advise & suggestion and we ourselves are the decision holder. Hope we choose the correct one & happy with what we have. aww

O_jigger · Veteran Member

Leisure drive and plying for a living on the road is completely 2 different things. It is good that you have decided to just try out the trade and see if it suits you. I have heard of some cases whereby the person sign up as the hirer with bond and then later on break the bond as they found out that they couldn't make a living out of the trade. Sad cases, instead of able to make a living, they end up losing the SD and even have to fork money out of their own pocket to pay off the bond.

But i felt that the course taught me quite a bit of things and more or less prepared me to face the challenges on the road. I am also lucky to meet a very good trainer whom gave very good advices and also cleared a lot of my doubts on the trade.

More or less ready to drive. Cannot wait to be a taxi uncle!

Rom · A Forum Mentor

i agree with dat, its 2 diff thing. in the end, it boils down to each individual's mentality. if one does not have the basic passion of driving, he'll high chance having a hard time. also with the motivation to earn a living to support the family, one stands of better chance of surviving.

one thing good about comfort is the "bondless" clause. anyway, we have not start yet, so can only give further comments few months down the road. of course, I seriously hope I can do well in thise trade. ^_^

yup, I also consider lucky to meet my lecturer too. very nice guy with many experience sharing. may meet him for a kopi session soon. :p

taxiuncle · Senior Guru

congrat to 2 of you for joining the trade soon.

if you notice, most senior taxi uncles are driving for a few decades. what does it means? it means this trade is not difficult to earn eat if you know how to manage your time, health and family life.

dont get too stressful, relax....

well, we have member here that broke his 1 year bond with CDG just after 2 weeks of collecting his new sonata becos he cant take it for driving long hours. he falls sick all the time after he starts driving. wink

Rom · A Forum Mentor

thx taxiuncle ^_^

I understand that we have to be discipline, not only in working, but also in our time & health management. I myself had came up with a personal time schedule. Either timing or total daily $ intake met, time to go home rest.

That's something that puzzles me. My friend told me that his friend, who just took up this job with CDG, was offered the 1 year bond, but I was not being offer this. I can return the taxi anytime with just a 7 days notice. Maybe that's why I can't get new vehicle?

taxiuncle · Senior Guru

Rom wrote:
thx taxiuncle ^_^

I understand that we have to be discipline, not only in working, but also in our time & health management. I myself had came up with a personal time schedule. Either timing or total daily $ intake met, time to go home rest.

That's something that puzzles me. My friend told me that his friend, who just took up this job with CDG, was offered the 1 year bond, but I was not being offer this. I can return the taxi anytime with just a 7 days notice. Maybe that's why I can't get new vehicle?

new vehicle comes with 1 year bond. no bond is better for new driver, at least you are free in case you found the trade unsuitable for you or you found a new lobang.

i got my new sonata with 1 year bond and i returned 8 months later becos i cannot take it and i found a new job. smile

get a relief driver to bear another half of your rental. 12 hours is good enough to kill you.

good luck!

Rom · A Forum Mentor

yup true, no bond is better for me now. :)

thx for the advise :D

O_jigger · Veteran Member

I think for myself the health would be a very big issue. Need to work out some schedule to make time for some exercise. The driving part would not be much of a big concern as i am quite used to drive for long continueous hours.

I feel that anyone who is keen to join the trade have to consider what they are actually looking for. Are they taking this trade as a transit period? Or are they intending to take it as a long term career.

I told myself that there is no such good thing in the world that taxi companies will rent you a brand new car without any fine prints which will protect their interest. If so many would have opt to take brand new taxis and then simply return the taxi when they are sick of driving or when they found a better job.

I decided to join this trade as i am really sick of working for others. In my previous job, there are many foreigners in the company and they are getting more benefits as compared to locals. The will constantly create problems for those more experienced workers to make them fedup and leave. Then the company will get a foreigner replacement at a fraction of the salary. Thus i left the company and decided i should work for myself and reap what i sowed.

Knowing what i am looking for in the trade, i opted for a new vehicle and be OMO. This way i can figure out which are the best timings which i can drive and also arrange my timing so i can have more time with my family.

Just to sum it all up. I think in time to come, my biggest enemy would be the driver seat of my taxi!

Rom · A Forum Mentor

kinda same as my thinking. need to fork out some time for health concern, at least once a week...

I also seriously want to pick this trade as my career path but I need self-confirmation (maciam probation) before I can consider fully step into it. =_=

true. My previous company are also having loads of expats getting superb high pay with fantastic benefits with not much work load. Current company's director corrupt until I "no eyes see"... Well, I guess that's life... Take it or leave it.

Anyway, I'm now looking for those "wooden or plastic pearl" type of seat cover. Anyone has any idea where to get one?