CARI DUIT

AMRAN CARI MAKAN

Amran(bukan nama sebenar), 28, ada kerja tetap di syarikat Oil & Gas, gaji sebulan RM3000. Tapi kehidupan di bandaraya KL, itu tak cukup.

Jadi dia jadi drebar Uber dan pendapatan RM4000 sebulan, lebih dari gaji kerja dipejabatnya. "Saya bawa Uber sebab duit. Sistem Uber bayar setiap minggu, jadi dgn duit tambahan saya boleh uruskan kehidupan saya lebih baik," kata Amran.

"Kalau nak duit lebih, kena kerja lebih," kata Amran yang mulakan pemanduan bulan Januari.

SElepas habis bertugas dipejabat jam 6 petang, Amran mula menghantar pelanggan sehingga tengahmalam pada hari bekerja.

"Saya pandu sepenuh masa pada waktu hujung minggu," katanya lagi.

"Kita faham apa yang digeramkan oleh pemandu teksi, mereka rasa kami ambil rezeki mereka, tetapi bukanlah itu yang sebenarnya," kata Amran.

NETIZENS NO SYMPHATY TO CABBIES

PETALING JAYA: There wasn’t much sympathy for the taxi drivers who protested against ride-hailing apps like Uber and GrabCar because many felt that taxi fares are no longer affordable.

What’s worse, cabbies often “cheat” customers, they claimed.

Facebook user Rhys William said it was ironic that the place chosen for yesterday’s protest by cabbies against the ride-hailing apps was also one of the notorious places where taxi drivers often “rip off” passengers.

“I’ve seen tourists quoted RM50 and more to go some place just five minutes away by some drivers outside Pavilion (shopping mall) because they say ‘it’s cheaper than using the meter’,” said William.

“That’s why Uber and GrabCar are so popular.”

Eric Eng had a similar comment.

“From Subang airport to Serdang, it cost me RM70 by taxi but Uber only charged me about RM37 and it was a better and clean car.

“Tell me which you would choose,” he said.

Fathol Zaman Bukhari also complained about the high taxi charges.

“It’s demand and supply. People will resort to a cheaper alternative when one is available,” he said.

“Taxi operators should accept the reality and move on. If you can’t fight them, join them lah. That’s the only option left.”

However, Anantha Kumar, whose father is a taxi driver, said not all cabbies were to blame.

“There are still many polite and kind drivers charging fair government rates,” he said, adding that taxi fares were expensive due to high insurance rates, licence fee and car payments, vehicle inspection charges and high maintenance costs.

Mike Mae Yip also felt that not all taxi drivers were bad.

“Sure, there are some bad eggs but many of them are tied up in lease agreements with taxi firms. I think they are between a rock and a hard place,” he said.

Danny How advised taxi drivers to work hard and not cheat passengers.

Comedian Harith Iskander pointed out that the protest in Bukit Bintang would leave many with no choice but to use ride-hailing apps.

Bagus la tu (That’s very good), forcing potential customers to call Uber and GrabCar instead because you are all busy protesting, he said on his Facebook page.

Source: The Star Wed 30 March 2016.