Singapore Expats

Motorcycle Taxi Service!

Discuss your views about Singapore business & economy, current policies & issues, starting a business in Singapore.
Post Reply
luxiana
Regular
Regular
Posts: 137
Joined: Mon, 02 Jul 2007 3:10 am
Contact:

Post by luxiana » Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:35 am

it exists in thailand and I was thinking about this for singapore. the thing is: people don't know how to drive here: they never look in the mirrors and they must have forgotten what the indicators where there for...

people who would be interested in usch a service would be frequent flyers and they, most of the time, book a mercedes in advance.
my website: free online game

User avatar
ksl
Governor
Governor
Posts: 5989
Joined: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 8:52 pm
Location: Singapore
Contact:

Post by ksl » Tue, 05 Feb 2008 1:22 am

luxiana wrote:it exists in thailand and I was thinking about this for singapore. the thing is: people don't know how to drive here: they never look in the mirrors and they must have forgotten what the indicators where there for...

people who would be interested in usch a service would be frequent flyers and they, most of the time, book a mercedes in advance.
Frequent flyers, why only frequent flyers, put your thinking cap on again, I'm sure you can stretch the limits of your mind, quite a bit further yet.

Good drivers are aware of what's going on around them, yes, there are alot of bad drivers, which increases the risk, all the more reason, to be more careful on Singapore roads.

I always, tell my wife, that her reaction time needs improving, and it's others, that are the danger on the road, speed does kill, so caution on a road with no rules, is needed....I often wonder how many drivers never check all their mirrors, every couple of seconds. :oops: I do! and try to encourage my wife to do the same too.

Bad driving habits are difficult to break, I have very few, and even when i give way, to traffic, the bloody cars, just stop, because of shock, that someone is giving way!

It's unheard of, even in Taiwan, my wife would be saying, don't let them in, they can wait...But I don't see the point in getting all stressed up, it's much easier to give way, to a few and enjoy the drive.

I always check mirrors at least every 10 seconds or less, because i never want to be caught out, by the drifter, that is texting SMS messages all the time, and also because i was taught that way in the military,,,otherwise you can easy get lost from the convoy too.

It happend once in the dessert, when i was tail end charlie, with a water bowser, and the vehicle broke down, the convoy just carried on without me, even though i was beeping and flashing my lights ...it was a bad mistake of the driver in front....lessons to be learnt. :)
Last edited by ksl on Tue, 05 Feb 2008 1:37 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
durain
Director
Director
Posts: 3666
Joined: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 8:15 pm
Location: Location: Location: Location:

Post by durain » Tue, 05 Feb 2008 1:27 am

so ksl, what's the verdict? do or not?

User avatar
ksl
Governor
Governor
Posts: 5989
Joined: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 8:52 pm
Location: Singapore
Contact:

Post by ksl » Tue, 05 Feb 2008 2:07 am

durain wrote:so ksl, what's the verdict? do or not?
Drinkingvinegars are my passion, along with healthy living, although I fall by the wayside occassionally and sink a few pints, but I can still walk a straight line...dedication, focus and positive results, is what matters.

Desk research is needed, to look at the overall picture and data, I believe, there could be a viable business, to build up, not only as a taxi, but despatch and small parcel delivery too, with a minimum of cost.

I guess even at old taxi prices, may even do the trick! Your costs have got to be much less, than the car!

So it's a matter of sitting down, and doing some detailed homework,...look at the market and services you can provide, with a bike, what's the overall outlay, to kick start it, what profit margins are you looking at, and do the breakeven point, to see, what effort is involved.

I mean you can also recruit other drivers, although I wouldn't take them until, they had been through some kind of PSV testing. and customer etiquette, and grooming...

It needs to shine with professionalism and good service, not just a bike taxi, passengers need to feel safe, so its always, with that in mind.

One thing that bus drivers and Taxi's don't care about, that's the cargo it's carrying. That's were the biker can score points, if they can communicate through the helmet, it must be a pleasant experience.

For lone travellers it's an ideal 121, way of sight seeing, so planning daily excursions, is a good thing, look for flexibility and advance booking too. Even trips up to parts of Malaysia, could be a nice offering too.

A bit of work to do, stick to a good plan, one of my strengths is analysing plans, for weaknesses, people always have a tendancy, to over estimate, I mean its nice to dream of the rich life i guess.

But one needs to stay grounded. go for it! The next "Twin engine Virgin Express" Your sure to get the publicity, word of mouth travels fast in Singapore. Like they have nothing better to do, than gossip :)

You'll probably end up bringing all the single women home from their night out :lol:
Although that may damage your virgin express image! You'll end up in one of those tacky little novels, called confessions of the virgin express driver...and hit the big screen with the movie a week later. :wink:

Winxkid
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 195
Joined: Wed, 11 Apr 2007 6:04 am

Post by Winxkid » Mon, 17 Mar 2008 2:34 am

something similar to Tutu in Thailand, what is it that they are called over there?
petsgdirectory.blogspot.com

User avatar
maneo
Reporter
Reporter
Posts: 757
Joined: Sat, 15 Mar 2008 2:46 pm
Location: Tropical cosmopolitan island

Post by maneo » Mon, 17 Mar 2008 4:23 am

Tuktuk's are the colourful 3-wheeled Daihatsu's that tall people need to slouch in.
Motorcycle taxis are a viable alternative for the narrow Soi's and rush hour traffic.

Motorcycle taxis operate in Shanghai, too.
Convenient, but not really legal.

Winxkid
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 195
Joined: Wed, 11 Apr 2007 6:04 am

Post by Winxkid » Mon, 17 Mar 2008 8:03 am

Yeah man! That's the word TukTuk! But I don't see it visible here bcos our dear cabbies go around emptied most of the time. Having a perk period of 2-4hrs only, that's e most lucrative period.

So, if we add something like tuktuk in, it would mean more cabbies going to earn less during that period.
petsgdirectory.blogspot.com

User avatar
maneo
Reporter
Reporter
Posts: 757
Joined: Sat, 15 Mar 2008 2:46 pm
Location: Tropical cosmopolitan island

Post by maneo » Mon, 17 Mar 2008 8:28 am

Given the level of pollution in Bangkok, tuktuk's may become mere tourist rides, like the colourful pedicabs here that are allowed limited travel routes to show tourists a bit of downtown Singapore.


By the way, tuktuk is an onomotopoeia.

street_smart
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat, 08 Mar 2008 11:32 am

Post by street_smart » Mon, 24 Mar 2008 1:20 am

Ya...totally agree.

User avatar
durain
Director
Director
Posts: 3666
Joined: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 8:15 pm
Location: Location: Location: Location:

Post by durain » Mon, 24 Mar 2008 3:34 am

maneo wrote: By the way, tuktuk is an onomotopoeia.
darn! had to google the word onomotopoeia! :roll:

NC30
Regular
Regular
Posts: 75
Joined: Wed, 09 Jan 2008 6:33 pm

Post by NC30 » Mon, 14 Apr 2008 6:41 pm

as a biker with more than 20 years expierence, this is an not so bad idea, 15 years ago i started a courrier service on bikes [sold it] and it worked also

User avatar
ozchick
Editor
Editor
Posts: 1001
Joined: Fri, 21 Sep 2007 9:18 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Motorcycle Taxi Service!

Post by ozchick » Sun, 20 Apr 2008 10:39 am

ksl wrote:OK Guys & Dolls!

Another business venture for someone......Motorcycle Taxi Service...avoid the traffic, get to work on time and even get to those important meetings on time.

And may u don't have to rent your bike, if you own one! However, don't forget the costs, especially insurance!
Mm KSL, I give you $5 lah to:
"wrap my legs 'round those velvet rims
and strap my hands 'cross your engine""
Yeah Bruce Springsteen'd have nothing on us !
We don't need to go very far... just from Hillview to Buona Vista.....yeah I like your taxi idea... a lot! :wink:
'Are you trying to tempt me because I come from the land of plenty?'

User avatar
QRM
Manager
Manager
Posts: 1831
Joined: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 5:23 pm
Location: Nassim hill

Post by QRM » Sun, 20 Apr 2008 11:28 am

The motor bike taxi services are provided in the London, the main reason is the traffic, a trip to Heathrow Airport can take 40mins or 2 hours.
A ten minute motor bike ride can take an hour plus in a car.

In all the years I have lived in central london, I cant think of any new roads, tunnels etc. its become a total gridlock

Singapore does not have a serious traffic problem, new roads and layouts are constanly being provided so any advantages in zipping through traffic will be off set by problems of bikes, bugs / dirt in your face, potential of being drenched in rain or sweat, and for the the tai tai among us flatten hairdos. ( I cant stand the big hair 80s Dallas look anyway)

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Business in Singapore”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests