I graduated from National Taiwan University law school. I guess most people think it's a little strange for a law school graduate to be driving a taxi. Normally, the best road for law school graduates is to pass the national lawyer or judge examination so you can get a license to practice. I worked at two insurance companies for several years and prepared for the examination at the same time. But the exam is very competitive, you know. And frankly, I've never been the type of person that's really interested in studying, and I had to spend a good deal of time on the insurance job, so I decided to give up the examination. Anyway, insurance was a potential career and I was doing pretty good, but I really don't like a nine-to-five kind of job. So after considering several possible occupations, I started to drive a taxi. It was just a job in the beginning. But the longer I drive, the more I enjoy this job. The biggest attraction is that I can arrange my own schedule and I can see cash every day. Actually, you could say I like driving itself.
This is the fourth cab I've driven—the first one belonged to a taxi company, and the last three were all my own cars. I clean my car at least twice a day. People usually prefer clean cars. I've been driving my own car for twelve years. Some people rent their cabs to other people when they're not working so they can earn some extra bucks, but I don't like sharing a car with another driver. My schedule is very flexible. Sometimes I go out at midnight, and sometimes at noon. But I've set up my own principle that I only go out when I feel I'm in the best condition. You know what people say: "Set out in a happy mood, and arrive alive."
The income for taxi drivers is pretty steady, as long as we work normally and don't get lazy. We're seldom affected by the economy. If I go out during the day, I usually drive nine, ten hours—from five, six in the morning—and make about two thousand dollars [NT$77]. I can work for about fourteen hours when I drive at night and make about three thousand [US$115]. There's less traffic at night so it's less exhausting. Actually, I think [the pay] is even better than for mid-level management positions at most companies. It makes me feel good that I can have full control of my income. If I drive ten hours, the money is definitely more than if I drive eight hours. Generally, when I think I've earned enough money, I call it a day and go home.
There are complaints that some cabs refuse short-distance passengers or people who want to go to areas with heavy traffic, but I don't. My philosophy is to take as many passengers as I can. Sure, we have some loss if we get stuck in traffic, but it doesn't make too much difference. Traffic is heavy everywhere in Taipei at rush hour. Nevertheless, traffic is still the biggest problem for us taxi drivers.
I guess I'm very outgoing—with the right type of passengers. Once I drove someone to Yuanlin in central Taiwan, and we talked for about three hours without stop on the freeway. Passengers come from all kinds of professions, so we know a little about everything from chatting with them. But some people—you know as soon as you try to start a conversation—are so quiet or are just not the kind of people I'd like to chat with. That's fine with me. They get in, tell me where they want to go, I drive them there with our mouths shut, get my pay, and case closed.
There are also passengers I try to avoid. The worst kind are drunkards. Some people have no control over their behavior when they're drunk. Sometimes they throw up in the car, then you have to clean up the mess. The smell can last for days. Sometimes they fall dead asleep and you have to call for help to carry them out. Generally, the later in the evening, the more careful I am. Passengers are afraid of bad cab drivers, but there are also cases of us drivers getting robbed. In this business, you have to learn to judge people by their appearance. When I drive at night, I don't stop for anyone who looks unsafe to me.
Another kind of passenger I don't like is the ones who think they're driving the car. I've been driving in Taipei for fourteen years. I mean, I know the traffic and the shortcuts very well, but there are always some complaints like: "Why don't you take that road?" or "Why are you turning here?" If you have your regular route, I wish you'd tell me earlier, not in a tone of voice that sounds like you're accusing me of taking a longer way for an extra five, ten bucks [about 20 to 40 U.S. cents]. One passenger like that can ruin my mood for the rest of the day.
I guess the biggest worry for cab drivers is getting in an accident. But in Taipei, the chances for minor accidents are very high. There are always careless drivers and motorcyclists weaving along the road. They'll hit you no matter how careful you are. Sometimes you have to send your car to get repaired, and you're out of a job for several days. We're also afraid of traffic jams, demonstrations, and other activities on the street. I think it's very unfair to the public if the traffic is blocked just because a few people are trying to express their opinions on something.
Every day when I go home, the first thing I do is play some video games. Driving long hours, especially in heavy traffic, is exhausting. When you drive, you have to keep your field of sight far and wide, but when you're playing video games, your sight is concentrated on that little screen, you know. I think this is kind of a balance and is good for me.
I have two kids, one in senior high and the other in junior high. I don't have to worry about their schoolwork. Actually, they're doing well enough to get scholarships from the drivers' association every semester. My wife is a baby sitter. She takes care of two or three kids and takes classes [on childcare] at some social welfare organizations. We always joke with each other: a law school graduate driving a taxi and an accounting graduate baby-sitting.
I don't often take my family out on weekends and holidays. I think that's the best time for Taipei taxi drivers. There isn't much traffic, and there are even more passengers. Of course not all taxi drivers agree with me. My brother-in-law, who also drives a taxi, always takes Sundays off and spends the time with his family. But I travel abroad once a year. It's easy. I save two hundred dollars [US$7.70] every workday--no matter how good or how bad business is. That way, I can save about sixty thousand [US$2,300] a year, which is quite enough for a trip. This is one reason why I like the job. I can travel whenever I want to. From another point of view, this is also a good way to keep myself from getting lazy. It's like I have a goal to work for, you know. I've visited most of the Asian countries, South Africa, and I plan to go to Australia next.
I don't know how much longer I'll be able to drive a taxi. Maybe I'll retire in another ten or twelve years when I can't physically handle the long hours of driving. Then I think I'll join my wife and open a daycare center.
—interview by Jim Hwang