February 2018 Report

February is a great month for me. I started driving with Uber and got a rental car. I also exceeded my target income after I left my job last year. But all these comes at a price.

I had to start driving after I send Mini T to school, stop to fetch Mini T and continue driving after Mini T went to bed. I also had to work weekends and public holidays. Chinese Lunar New Year is one of them and working on a public holiday despite having high surge all day long sucks. I now do understand why most would rather just have a stable job. Well, at least I cleared my doubts and had tried what I wanted to after I left.

So I applied for a stable job again. Expenses increased by a lot as I still have to settle my car rental till end of contract which has 5 more months to go. This is very poor planning on my side. But I probably gonna get my own car after that as it is really convenient for a family.

So what is next? Having a stable job means I can now write my blog at 8pm instead of 1am. LOL. I can still have the time to plan and work on my next path. The property path which is going to start on April. That is my next plan. Till then, nothing exciting I think.

This 10 months had really given me a much clearer direction in life. Having the courage to try out things and taking the first step. I am blessed to have a wife who allowed me to go crazy these few months. Hopefully the property path can better blend into my life.

Uber Driving Guide

Driving for Uber had been really fun and exciting during this period of time. It bring me to many different places that I had knew existed despite being a Singaporean. However, I just do not like the job enough to be a full time driver. Haiz.

Have you ever felt that the job doesn't suit and you wanted to quit after working for few days? That is how I felt after the first week. It is a great job for those who loves driving. I have friends who can drive for 10 to 12 hours and still not tired.

Since I had decided to stop driving full-time, I wanted to make a driving guide for all new Uber drivers using my one month experience. LOL.

Uber Driving Guide

Basically, just minus off $100 per day for rental and petrol to get your earnings. There are two peak periods to push your earnings as a driver.

8am to 2pm. You can start at 9am if you do not like the traffic jams and 5pm to 12pm.

If you can work within this 2 peak periods, you are looking at around $250 - $300 per day or more on a lucky day.

Take note

*Events happening at Stadium or Expo (concerts, IT Fairs etc.)
*Lower vomit rate for night driving - Tanjong Pagar areas
*Remember which route to exit if you are travelling along KPE, there will not be any signal inside.
*There may be times where GPS hangs around CBD areas due to tall buildings.

Time	Average earnings per hour	Remarks
	Weekday
0400 - 0600	$20	Airport
0600 - 1100	$20 - $30	Stay around neighbourhood
1100 - 1400	$15	Clock for incentive trips at CBD
1400 - 1700	$10 - $15	Not much booking
1700 - 2300	$20 - $25	Town area
2300 - 0300	$20 - $25	Town area
0300 - 0400		Usually no booking
	Saturday
0900 - 1700	$20 - $25	Stay around neighbourhood
1700 - 1900	$20 - $25	Not much booking
2100 - 0300	$25 - $30	Town area
	Sunday
0900 - 2300	$20

Navigation Apps

Google Maps - Most flexible as you can see all your routes along the trip and choose the fastest or the shortest route to the destination. Dropping passenger at the correct side of the road. Waze have this issue of dropping off the passenger at the opposite side of the road. However, starting of the navigation may posed some issue as I had to repeatedly press the "Start" before navigation starts.

Waze - Recommended for night driving (we drive faster during the night) as it shows the speed traps location. Fast access to start navigation but every turns are very delayed so for routes that have to turn left and then turn right immediately will give you heart attacks.

Uber Nav - Fastest access to directions as you will not have to open another map apps to navigate. Does not show you the which exit number to take at the expressway which I do not like. Easiest for Uberpool trips. Take note that riders are supposed to go to the pickup or drop off location at the side of the roads to facilitate easier continuation of trips shown at the Uber app. But this is not the case thus you will sometimes not find the rider along the side of the road but instead at their block.

How to get 5* trips easily?

1. Greet all your riders - Hello, Bye bye. It is that easy. I don't initiate conversation to my riders as talking when driving can be quite distracting.
2. Do not miss your turn - If riders knew their routes, too bad for you. Apologise after the trip may get you better ratings 3* - 4* 
3. Accommodate your riders request - Remember that you are now in a customer service line. Just follow their request on routes they chose. Uber will make all the fare adjustment accordingly. 
4. Just accept the damn $0.10 cash fare - I read that drivers that say no to the fares due to pride or ego and even show their blackface to the riders. WTH!!! This is your money. Take it as they may have discount code. Uber will top up fares to minimum of $5. 
5. Ask for help if you need it and always confirm their drop off location - there will be riders that put their drop off location at A and want to stop at B. 

I give my riders 5*.

I hope that my guide can help all new drivers on the road. Lastly, drive safe.

Last Day of Year 2017

2017 is the year of change for me. Quit my job of 5 years, completed my 3 years part-time diploma, working on ad hoc jobs and making life changing plans for 2018. I get why most people would rather find a 9 to 5 job and work until they retire. It is the safest route they can go after completing their degree/ master as will not be wasted as per our friends and family.

November and December are my best months and it is in a 9 to 5 environment. While it contradict with what I had planned, practicality still plays a part. Having enough money to feed my family is my priority.

Thank you my wife for allowing me to do all these experimentation to get ready for 2018.

This is the year to impress the most important person, myself.

Passing my PDVL Test First Time

It was 1 week before the exam when I told my wife that I am going to start preparing for the test but...

Ended up flipping the pages just 1 day before the test date. I did some research online earlier and found out most people mentioned paper 2 was the killer in this exam. Information from the book and course notes given were too much to take in for 1 night. I ran through the Learning checklist in Section 1.1 and going through the chapters once but just lazily remembering the answers from the mock paper.

Passing criteria
Paper 1 is 80% you need to get at least 40/50 to pass
Paper 2 is 86% you need to get at least 43/50 to pass

My test starts at 4pm. I woke up early around 8am to study a bit more for my test. Not really focusing on the studying. Random flipping of pages of the thick book, mainly focusing on Section 2.4 memorising the demerit points. Had my lunch and made my way to STA. News of train breaking down were quite often during this period so I left my home early. I reached STA around 3.15pm, went straight up to level 4. I sat down along the corridors and started reading and memorising the demerit points again. Heart was pounding as time draws closer to 4pm.

At 3.50pm, people queuing outside the test venue where I had my buffet. I followed suit and waited while an instructor wearing Grab shirt said "those first time taking PDVL test, please queue here". I thought since I am taking the PDVL test, it should not really matter if I signed up via Uber or Grab. Followed his instruction and waited patiently and boy was I so wrong. The instructor told me Uber test venue was at the other end of the corridor just outside the staircase. I really hated this kind minor hiccup on test days. I only have myself to blame for that. Hurried over to the test venue sat down in the room. Uber test venue was smaller as compared to Grab but I liked it as it was not as intimidating and open.

Acceptable attire:
Top: Collar shirt or collar t-shirt
Bottom: Long pants
Feet: Driving shoe (flat heel and cover the feet)

Please remember to wear the proper attire when taking the test. They have strict dress code to adhere. Some people were not allowed to take the test as they were not in proper attire. It is really time consuming to book another test date seeing that now it takes 1 month after I finished my course on November 2017 as compared when people only takes 1 week after their course in July.

Paper 1
Please read the following as per the instructor:

1. Section 1.1 - Service Quality, Health and Safety


2. Driving in Singapore from Mighty Minds aka the thick book

As I did not really focused on paper 1, I expected the paper to be easy. Man, I could not be more wrong.

Here are questions to take note

• What are Triglycerides?


• What is high blood pressure? (Tricky)


• What is BMI?


• Bus Lane operating hours


• What is Domestic terrorism?


• Minimum age requirement for private hire car drivers


• LTA or ISD Counter-Terrorism Centre (CTC) contact no.


• When should a PHC be inspected? (important - came out for both my paper 1 and 2)

Paper 2
Please read the following as per the instructor:

1. Section 2.1 - Rules and Regulations (PSV)


2. Section 2.3 - Rules and Regulations (PHC)


3. Section 2.4 - Rules and Regulations (Chauffeured Private Hire Car and Taxi Vocational Licence Demerit Points System)

Tips? Remember all the offences in Section 2.4. Period.

As I studied at the last minute, I focus more on the offences with demerit points. Those I cannot remember are most likely fine only. LOL.

• Decals related offences - Fine and demerit points


• Take note Section 2.4 Part 1 S/N. 30/31/32

Most of the questions will ask you an offence and give you options such as fine only? fine and demerit points? Demerit points only? suspension? If you did not take some effort to study the offences, it will be hard to even guess.

How I took my test?
I finished both my papers around 30mins. I read each question carefully before answering each of them. Mark those question that you are not confidence enough and review them later. I did not double check all the answers again as I do not want to confuse myself more. Count the no. of questions that been marked for reviewed and it should be lesser than 10 questions in paper 1 and 7 questions in paper 2. End the test with confidence and see your results. I barely passed my paper 1 but it gave me the confidence boost I needed to focus on paper 2 using the free time I have.

Waiting for the green letter to come but as per my instructor, it will take up to 2 months.

Booking for a re-test will now take 1 to 2 months as compared to last time when you can do the re-test within the day. However, you can call STA and request for an earlier date re-test.

Hope this will give you the extra boost needed to study for the test.

Good luck to all of you taking the test.

Attending the PDVL Training (UBER)

I registered for Uber fastlane online. Registration is simple with step by step procedure to show your progress. So after clearing the medical check up, (Please remember to bring your specs if you are short-sighted, if not, you will have to come down again for the checkup) Uber called me up to book a schedule for the PDVL Training. The booking was taken up so fast I need to change my earliest date twice as it was full while speaking to the operator.

The PDVL training course is held at Singapore Taxi Academy (STA) at Uber Herencia Level 1 (#01-14 46 Kim Yam Rd). I took public transport and alighted at Clark Quay MRT (exit B) walking 15-20mins to reach the location as shown using google map.

While there is a open space carpark, I believed the parking fee will be rather high since you will be parking there until 6pm.

I was informed to reach by 8.45am to submit the necessary document to UBER. Bring along the following documents as they are required by the STA:

• Driver’s Licence
• NRIC
• Physical proof of English Proficiency
• Approval letter from the LTA
• Medical Report

They do have strict dress code to adhere. Please follow the proper attire or you may not be able to attend the class.

Acceptable attire:
Top: Collar shirt or collar t-shirt
Bottom: Long pants
Feet: Driving shoe (flat heel and cover the feet)

Inside the materials, there is a time table for the day with test date allocated to us. You will have to rebook the test date if you are not able to go on that day.

Our test date is almost 1 month after the course on December 2017.

Complimentary breakfast and lunch was provided. Breakfast is provided outside the classroom. Roti John for Breakfast and buffet for Lunch located at level 4, all the way to the end of the corridor where people take their test.

Instructor do show us the topics to cover for both paper 1 and 2. While sharing that passing rate for first timer is very low, he emphasised the importance of self study especially for paper 2 Section 2.4.

Wishing the best of luck to all of you!

A Reality Check on Christmas Day

First of all, Merry Christmas 2017.

So after leaving my company on May 2017, I started working random jobs to get back my previous salary.

August
I became a contractor apprentice under my relative straight after leaving my previous job thinking that I should learn a skill. Naively thought that hard work and perseverance will get me equipped with the knowledge needed fast enough to kick off my entrepreneur journey. However, I failed to calculate the capital needed to buy the required equipment and vehicle needed. Failed miserably!!! I am rather lucky though to have my relative showing me the trade these 3 months. Training ended around August.

I went to sign up for foodpanda as a food delivery cyclist/e-scooterist next. The signing up process is rather easy. After the briefing from the chosen HQ on setting up the phones and some rules, we were all sent to have an on job training session with a senior cyclist. Basically following them around with a bicycle, for my case, I had to unlock an oBike to do the job. Instantly regretted it. LOL. Those who had tried cycling using the oBike should understand the amount of effort needed to cycle on these bicycle is not a joke. So me and this other guy follow our senior cyclist around for delivery for the rest of his session to deliver food to hungry customers. A simple and own time own target job. I started to think, hell yeah, this job can sustain my expenses while I plan for my next move. Booked my first shift on a public holiday.

October
Fast forward to October, things were going good with the delivery until I received a message saying that I had drop tier. Foodpanda had this tier system where it allows people with better tier to book their schedule first. Tier 1 being the best. Tier 2 is where all newcomers started off with. Even when I had worked everyday except one weekends (Saturday and Sunday), I dropped to tier 3. Riders who work on friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings shifts are given higher ratings than those who work full weekdays shift. This dropped in tier caused major disruption in the schedule booking. By the time I can went into the app to see the schedule, all shift had been taken.

Seeing this, I went to sign up for ubereats hoping that I can at least compensate some of the down time caused by the shift issue. What prompted me to sign with ubereats is their full flexibility and also trips were calculated based on distance. All I had to do is to go online and wait for the orders to come in for delivery. And so i waited... and waited...

November
My income was not able to sustain my expenses, next step was to go find a job, preferably a sheltered environment as it is also the raining season for Singapore. Stumbled upon an part time warehouse assistance job with many OT and also near my place, I accepted the job and worked for 2 months now. Looking at my November income, irony, it is actually the best month till date since I left my company.

December
One day, my wife asked me what is the difference I am doing now compared to what I am doing in my previous company. I told her that I am paid for OT and I don't have to answer calls after work. Temper is also better. However, all these came at an expense of leaving for work earlier and ending work late. This is not what I had planned when I leave my company. Yes, I worked hard but the hourly pay for this warehouse assistance job is not helping me with my target of providing a better life for my family.

It is time to move to my next plan. Getting the PDVL (had already passed the test) and a property licence.

Leaving the 9 to 5 lifestyle

I quit... Well, it was in May 2017 when I made the decision to leave my comfortable yet not satisfying job, with a sponsored diploma by the company which I am going to receive in November 2017 foreseeing a pay raise in 2018, I tendered my resignation letter to my company of 5 years.

It was hard to leave the comfy life that I had so far provided my family with and quit without a backup plan or job waiting for me. Before making the decision, I asked my wife question such as 'Should I quit?" and complained "His work attitude sucks", "I am very sick of the job", "My temper is getting bad or worse". All these emotions bottling inside of me just had to go somewhere.

This is where I said,

I will quit my job but I promise you that I will minimise the changes to our current lifestyle.

So now it's the last week of December 2017. It is a good time to do a reality check on what had happened so far.