Different Types of Taxi drivers

The classifications below are my 2 cents of worth of generlising people for the sake of entertaining my readers. I apologies if they have offended anyone.


The road Sweeper cum rubbish truck

Usually they are the older generation who drive a crown or yellow top Taxi. They will stick to the hour as a shift Taxi driver who knows where are the customers on the road. They do not mind picking up customer with smelly fishy bags from wet markets. Or anyone going anywhere, due to their limited of English or being the older generation. Usually they will not visit the CBD or Hotels in Orchard where AngMos are abundant.


The Interviewer

There are times when passenger going to Tuas/ Jurong Island / CCK will ask me to wind down the windows rather than jumping on the taxi, asking whether I will bring them to those places. What the hack, I will ask them to jump on.

"Do onto others what you want them to do unto you" my motto

These are the passengers that has been rejected by "The interviewer" Taxi drivers. Normally they will only want to go to the CBD/airport in the evening. Without regards or fairness to the next taxi driver behind them in the queue, they will pick their passenger then leave the crumps to the one behind.

I have no respect for such Taxi drivers.


Airport players

They will starts off the shift from the airport.  Even the passenger ends the trip in the west side Jurong. They will drive all the way to the airport to start again.

It is easier to find a fare in the airport, down side is the traffic jams on PIE back to the airport (staring point) and certain periods (2300-0100) hours midnight, long queue at the airport. Plus you need to know when the planes are landing and which terminals.

Another danger is customer going to the east side only (Simei, Pasir Ris or tampaines). What do you do?


C.B.D. players

Due to the fact after 5 pm CBD charges of $3 are applicable within the CBD area. These are a different breed of interviewer. They only want to take passenger who ends their trip within the CBD. One driver have boasted he can make 10 trips all within the CBD on night.

You will like them if you are going from Marina to China town, similarly Robinson road to Orchard road etc. You will be able to jump the taxi rank queue.


Mid Night Drivers

Generally they starts after 9 pm in the evening till next morning. They take business from Clark Quay area, Geylang, airport or in another word, all the night spots. Due to the shift working hour constraint, generally they paid a lesser rent between 30-50 dollars.

They will pick up passenger from CBD/airport to their heartland town. Then speed all the way back to the city for another fare.


Talkative drivers

The moment you steps into the taxi, they started talking, complaining about everything in life. Because of talking, they lost concentration on the road. Generally you can find them driving on the 2 lane on the highway. The have animated hand movement to enforce they point when chatting with passengers.

The opposite of this are those driver who will not even acknowledge your request of destination. They will just drive. Most of the time they are the seasoned drivers.

The Taxi I am driving on the weekend. It is a money making machine. :)