Top Tips for PHV Drivers to Survive During COVID-19

(Photo Credit: LTA)

Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) drivers have become almost a staple here, with many Singaporeans relying on them to get around. But with COVID-19, many people are staying home more, which has caused a hit to PHV drivers’ earnings. Here are some tips for PHV drivers to survive during this COVID-19 period.

PHV drivers have become an essential service to the average Singaporean. Almost every Singaporean uses Grab, GoJek, or some other ride-sharing app to get to their required destination, with some using it as an alternative to public transport.

With COVID-19 causing fear among citizens because of how it spreads, people are becoming more cautious and prefer lesser physical interaction with others. PHV drivers were also impacted as there were not enough customers due to the Circuit Breaker (CB) implementations in the first half of the year.

With Phase Three approaching, restrictions are much lighter than they were during CB, with more people returning to work and travelling around Singapore. Thus it is still viable to drive a PHV as a primary source of income or side-hustle during this period.

If you are interested in becoming a PHV driver, here are our tips to stay ahead of the game.

Drive 12-14 hours a day and setting the right shifts

(Photo Credit: iStock)

Being a PHV driver requires a lot of perseverance to push through and get passengers. Working 12 to 14 hours a day is common for many PHV drivers to be able to cover their rental or motoring costs, and still make a profit.

For new PHV drivers who are just starting, planning the right shifts is crucial to have a balance between your work life and time with your family.

We recommend working two 6 to 7 hours shifts, with a sufficient break in between to avoid road fatigue.

Have a good sense of peak and non-peak periods

(Photo Credit: The Straits Times)

As a PHV driver, your best times to pick up passengers should be during peak hours, as it would maximise your earnings.

If you are ferrying passengers, peak hours from 7am to 10am, and 5pm to 7pm will be your best bet.

Likewise, if you are a PHV driver doing food delivery services, your peak periods would mostly be lunch and dinner timings like 12pm to 2pm, and 6pm to 9pm respectively.

Consider using your vehicle for other services

When there are not many passengers in the day, a PHV driver can explore other options to make full use of his or her car. Examples include:

Food Delivery
Chope, Grab Food, Deliveroo, Food Panda, WhyQ

Courier delivery
Lalamove, Ninja Van, UParcel, Gogo X, Grab Express

Ride-Hailing
Ryde, Grab, GoJek, Tada

These are the list of other services that are available in Singapore which you could consider doing apart from the usual PHV service.

*Disclaimer: PHV Drivers cannot use their vehicles solely for the conveyance of goods, only GrabFood and GrabExpress have been approved by LTA.

Accepting all Passengers and Job Offers

(Photo Credit: Lion City Rentals)

Being a PHV driver, the only way to make money to cover your costs and earn a profit is by accepting jobs. Thus, you should be not picky and take on all job offers that come your way.

This would link back to the previous point where you should be flexible and take up other services when there are not many job offers.

Get an economically feasible car

(Photo Credit: Lion City Rentals)

PHV drivers should consider getting, if not switching to, a fuel-efficient car that is both easy to maintain and reliable for this job. You’d want to be saving most of your income instead of spending it on the upkeep of your vehicle.

Therefore, you should consider getting economical and reliable cars from Toyota or Honda. The two models that are ever so popular in the industry are the Toyota Prius and Honda Vezel Hybrid because their fuel consumption is more efficient than non-hybrid cars.

In Singapore, many PHV drivers own their cars while others rent theirs from car rental companies.

A leading car rental company would be Lion City Rentals (LCR). They have been around since 2015 and offer PHV drivers many benefits while offering a wide selection of cars to rent.

One of these benefits would be LCR’s exclusive partnership with one of Singapore’s largest online F&B ordering platforms, Chope.

As an LCR hirer-partner, you would enjoy $0 commission fees, meaning all earnings will go directly to you. Hirers can also earn up to $120/day through food delivery, which can supplement your income on top of your usual fares.

Let us know what you think about these tips in the comments below. If you are interested in finding out more about LCR’s rental options, be sure to drop them an enquiry here!

We urge all PHV drivers to drive safely and stay safe during this COVID period.

Read More: 5 Telegram Groups Every Singaporean Driver Should Join

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