Okay. Before I start blabbering about everything. Let's get this straight. I am not siding any companies or shading them. I am a part time driver myself and these are the things that irks me during this 3 months of driving.
Firstly. PASSENGERS.
Please, passengers. For the love of god, please. I think this has been an issue to many drivers, be it Uber or Grab. Please be punctual! If you make a booking, please make sure you are able to be at the pick up point in 5 mins or less. You can take your own sweet time of course, but there will be additional charges and you will sulk throughout the whole ride. We are driving for long hours and every single minute matters to us. Even better, be at your pick up point when you are booking. Yes, the app might says driver is 5 minutes away. But most of the time, the App routing system is inaccurate. I understand drivers are often late but maybe because there are crazy amount of cars on the road and traffic lights. We need time to get there. If we are late and you are not even there. Pfft. So please, be punctual. Make our life easier because the companies are making it hard for us.
Secondly, PICK UP POINT.
Again, please. For the love of Jesus this time. Please do not ask us to pick you up at TAXI STAND, BUS STOP or EXPRESSWAY.
Why? Simple. We are not Taxi. We are not Bus. Many passengers think that Private drivers are able to pick up or drop off at taxi stands. Matter of fact, we are not able to do that. When you make a booking, please find a suitable place for us to pick you up without obstructing the traffic. Head to the nearest block if you can, set there as a pick up point and wait there. Not bus stop or taxi stand. Because it's easy for you to just wait there and enter the car but if we were to be fined, are you willing to pay the tab for us? No. You might argue that some drivers pick me up at taxi stand too, why can't you? Simply because I am not them. If other drivers want to take the risk, by all means. Not me. Let's be a law abiding citizens in this FINE country.
Thirdly, for the love of Buddha. Please do not book a car with more than 4 person. THIS IS COMMON SENSE. Again, who's gonna pay the fine? Your extra friend? NO. Get another car, or make the other person take a bus or something. Kidding. But really, 4 pax means 4 pax. Don't even TRY to indicate on the notes saying "5 person" because when a booking is sent out, DRIVERS HAVE TO ACCEPT IT if they treasure the acceptance rating. But chances are when they accept it, they will call you and request you to cancel. So please, don't make our life any harder. We are trying to earn money here, not to pay for the fines you made us commit. Again, some drivers can pick 5 person why can't you? Take a guess.
I understand some passengers have anger issues. Girlfriend never satisfy you yesterday night or whatever but please do not vent it on drivers. Vice versa. If drivers take a different route, ask politely where they are going. Some of us are just following the GPS routing because we are not taxi drivers who have 30 years experience driving on the road and know every single destination in the back of our brain. I've met passengers that goes like "WHY THE F**K you take this exit? Why are you following the GPS like a fool?!" But I took that exit to pick up another passenger because it was a shared ride. Be polite. If you are angry, hit yourself when you are back home or something. We don't owe you anything. Our job is to pick you up, drop you off. Not to pamper you or to be your punching bag. If you are rushing for time, get a un-shared ride. Don't get a shared ride and then cry when your driver pick up another rider. Heard way too many "Tsk" "tsk" "tsk". Just shut up.
Lastly, if you have a child below 1.35cm, get a family car with a booster. Some drivers do not have boosters with them and they will not pick you up. Don't even try your luck and waste our time. "Some drivers can pick me up, why can't you?" Again, take a guess.
DRIVERS!
I understand that the incentives for one of the company, who shall not be named, has been really shitty. And I strongly urge people who have other alternatives to find another career or side job, go ahead. Few years down the road, becoming a Private Driver will not benefit us. Except the company. Ask yourself, how many times have you encountered problems and the companies simply doesn't give a shit. Honestly, we are just pawns in their game of chess. They favour the riders more than drivers. Accept it. We are constantly hitting targets, getting low fares but long distance and competing with taxi drivers just to put food on the table. I am not saying it's a bad way to earn income, I am just saying there is always another way to earn money.
There is an article about a lady who earns 6k per month? We know it doesn't work that way. With the current competition and fares. You drive 12 hours per day, 7 days per week, 30 days per month. 6k? HA. Cute. My contract ends next month and I am looking forward to the day I return the car. For those who are still driving for these companies, know your worth. It is a good experience to know how it feels like to be a driver. But never a good idea to take this as a career unless it is the only choice you have left, then so be it. Who knows it will be good driving for them in the future? Well, time will tell but as of now, nah. But that's my two cents worth.
Happy grabbing and ubering and drive safely!
OH, lastly. PASSENGERS, for the love of Guanyin Ma. PLEASE DO NOT SLAM OUR DOOR! Close the god damn door gently! We pick up 15 to 20 passengers in average, if every single one of you slam our door like a hulk, the windows will shatter in no time. Treat us with respect and we will treat you with the due respect as well. Happy riding!
Firstly. PASSENGERS.
Please, passengers. For the love of god, please. I think this has been an issue to many drivers, be it Uber or Grab. Please be punctual! If you make a booking, please make sure you are able to be at the pick up point in 5 mins or less. You can take your own sweet time of course, but there will be additional charges and you will sulk throughout the whole ride. We are driving for long hours and every single minute matters to us. Even better, be at your pick up point when you are booking. Yes, the app might says driver is 5 minutes away. But most of the time, the App routing system is inaccurate. I understand drivers are often late but maybe because there are crazy amount of cars on the road and traffic lights. We need time to get there. If we are late and you are not even there. Pfft. So please, be punctual. Make our life easier because the companies are making it hard for us.
Secondly, PICK UP POINT.
Again, please. For the love of Jesus this time. Please do not ask us to pick you up at TAXI STAND, BUS STOP or EXPRESSWAY.
Why? Simple. We are not Taxi. We are not Bus. Many passengers think that Private drivers are able to pick up or drop off at taxi stands. Matter of fact, we are not able to do that. When you make a booking, please find a suitable place for us to pick you up without obstructing the traffic. Head to the nearest block if you can, set there as a pick up point and wait there. Not bus stop or taxi stand. Because it's easy for you to just wait there and enter the car but if we were to be fined, are you willing to pay the tab for us? No. You might argue that some drivers pick me up at taxi stand too, why can't you? Simply because I am not them. If other drivers want to take the risk, by all means. Not me. Let's be a law abiding citizens in this FINE country.
Thirdly, for the love of Buddha. Please do not book a car with more than 4 person. THIS IS COMMON SENSE. Again, who's gonna pay the fine? Your extra friend? NO. Get another car, or make the other person take a bus or something. Kidding. But really, 4 pax means 4 pax. Don't even TRY to indicate on the notes saying "5 person" because when a booking is sent out, DRIVERS HAVE TO ACCEPT IT if they treasure the acceptance rating. But chances are when they accept it, they will call you and request you to cancel. So please, don't make our life any harder. We are trying to earn money here, not to pay for the fines you made us commit. Again, some drivers can pick 5 person why can't you? Take a guess.
I understand some passengers have anger issues. Girlfriend never satisfy you yesterday night or whatever but please do not vent it on drivers. Vice versa. If drivers take a different route, ask politely where they are going. Some of us are just following the GPS routing because we are not taxi drivers who have 30 years experience driving on the road and know every single destination in the back of our brain. I've met passengers that goes like "WHY THE F**K you take this exit? Why are you following the GPS like a fool?!" But I took that exit to pick up another passenger because it was a shared ride. Be polite. If you are angry, hit yourself when you are back home or something. We don't owe you anything. Our job is to pick you up, drop you off. Not to pamper you or to be your punching bag. If you are rushing for time, get a un-shared ride. Don't get a shared ride and then cry when your driver pick up another rider. Heard way too many "Tsk" "tsk" "tsk". Just shut up.
Lastly, if you have a child below 1.35cm, get a family car with a booster. Some drivers do not have boosters with them and they will not pick you up. Don't even try your luck and waste our time. "Some drivers can pick me up, why can't you?" Again, take a guess.
DRIVERS!
I understand that the incentives for one of the company, who shall not be named, has been really shitty. And I strongly urge people who have other alternatives to find another career or side job, go ahead. Few years down the road, becoming a Private Driver will not benefit us. Except the company. Ask yourself, how many times have you encountered problems and the companies simply doesn't give a shit. Honestly, we are just pawns in their game of chess. They favour the riders more than drivers. Accept it. We are constantly hitting targets, getting low fares but long distance and competing with taxi drivers just to put food on the table. I am not saying it's a bad way to earn income, I am just saying there is always another way to earn money.
There is an article about a lady who earns 6k per month? We know it doesn't work that way. With the current competition and fares. You drive 12 hours per day, 7 days per week, 30 days per month. 6k? HA. Cute. My contract ends next month and I am looking forward to the day I return the car. For those who are still driving for these companies, know your worth. It is a good experience to know how it feels like to be a driver. But never a good idea to take this as a career unless it is the only choice you have left, then so be it. Who knows it will be good driving for them in the future? Well, time will tell but as of now, nah. But that's my two cents worth.
Happy grabbing and ubering and drive safely!
OH, lastly. PASSENGERS, for the love of Guanyin Ma. PLEASE DO NOT SLAM OUR DOOR! Close the god damn door gently! We pick up 15 to 20 passengers in average, if every single one of you slam our door like a hulk, the windows will shatter in no time. Treat us with respect and we will treat you with the due respect as well. Happy riding!
