65-year-old taxi driver is on the road for 15 hours every day

Singapore – A passenger has taken to social media to share a heartwarming story of an elderly taxi driver who spends 15 hours on the road every day.

On Tuesday (Dec 1), Facebook user Deera Daneesya uploaded a “long appreciation post” of Mr Andrew, a RYDE taxi driver.

The writer, who had always been “proud and amazed with the effort put in by taxi drivers, especially the elderly”, was deeply moved by her conversation with Mr Andrew.

As a passenger who loves chatting with drivers, she had commented: “Wah uncle, you power lah. You have completed 2,045 RYDE trips.” She said the RYDE app indicates the total number of trips made by a driver on his or her profile.

“Yes, I’ve been driving for 23 years; 18 years as a taxi driver and five years as a private hire driver,” Mr Andrew said.

“Well, it’s common to hear such working experience from drivers, right?” said Ms Deera Daneesya. “But what I’m gonna share with you next is an eye-opener.” She added that Mr Andrew was 65 and a Grab, GoJek and RYDE driver. “He spends 15 hours on the road every day.”

She noted that the driver had all his essentials with him — towels, empty plastic containers to “tapau” food, water bottles, biscuits and a flask to keep his coffee hot. He even had a pillow.

“I was rather concerned for his well-being because he literally spends the whole day on the road and advised him not to be too hard and take a break in between to go back home to rest.”

She added jokingly: “If you can install a portable toilet, I bet you would right?”

Mr Andrew’s reply was: “Thankfully, I don’t really need the toilet because I have kidney failure. I just went for dialysis before I picked you up. That’s why I have another pillow to put on my back so I won’t feel uncomfortable for driving long hours.”

Ms Deera apologised for the intrusion and asked if he was not too tired or weak from the treatment. The man, however, maintained a positive attitude throughout the conversation. “He didn’t complain, whine or sigh for the things he is going through.”

After receiving his permission to post his story, Mr Andrew shared that someone had written about him during the Circuit Breaker period and that RYDE appreciated his service by waiving his service and commission fees until the end of 2020.

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