Phnom Penh Tuktuk Drivers are Feeling the Coronavirus Slowdown

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BigDee
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Re: Phnom Penh Tuktuk Drivers are Feeling the Coronavirus Slowdown

Post by BigDee »

I get that ride numbers are down but the big question here is what’s the booking App Companies doing to support their drivers?
From my understanding, PassApp take 20% & Grab 25% +++ from each ride. How about they take a hit during this down time and meet there drivers halfway?
Yeah sure they still have the same overhead with a reduction in sales, but I am sure they could drop a couple of points for a couple of months.
I book through the apps then cancel at pickup, pay the app quoted price and then some. “why not”
I think its safe to say most drivers registered with the App co’s are fairly genuine, stay clear of the others.
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SternAAlbifrons
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Re: Phnom Penh Tuktuk Drivers are Feeling the Coronavirus Slowdown

Post by SternAAlbifrons »

phuketrichard wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 1:03 pm One of the most unsettling experiences for a expat, an more so a tourist, just about everywhere in developing Asia
is asking how much something cost, (a ride, a girl, a bottle of water, a trinket etc etc) and the reply
"up to you"
"up to you"
Annoying as hell.
but a very very smart biz practice for locals dealing with foreigners.

As for the "poor me" tuk tuk driver - it is understandable considering the mindset of foreigners in the '90's and maybe early 2000's. ie, horrified at the situation Cambodia was in, and wanting to be generous to those in desperate circumstances.
BUT - totally inappropriate now. Don't take a bar of it.
Any tuk tuk driver that tries that on me, i give a stern talking to about dignity and self-respect - the United Tuk Tuk Drivers of Cambodia way - then don't deal with them again.
Pathetic, which is one thing very few traditional tuk tuk drivers are. They normally pride themselves on their independent self-sufficiency.
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Doc67
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Re: Phnom Penh Tuktuk Drivers are Feeling the Coronavirus Slowdown

Post by Doc67 »

Ahh you poor things with those nasty tuk tuks…

Remember, you have:

Bars and restaurants that are open;

Beer at $1;

Transport from home to bar for $1;

plus endless 'amusement for gentlemen', if that's your thing.

So spare a thought for the many people in the world that have none of those luxuries and no idea when the can get a piece of the action either.
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Re: Phnom Penh Tuktuk Drivers are Feeling the Coronavirus Slowdown

Post by numacsys »

Foreigner wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 12:58 pm
numacsys wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 12:11 pm A tuktuk driver parked next to where I live has conjured up a creative but risky alternative. He offers the ride for free. When you accept the offer, he constantly talks about how hard life has become, his kids' school fees (he will show pics of them), his ill wife, his tuktuk's monthly installment payments to some microfinance in Steung Meanchey. He rains down compliments about how good, fortunate and lucky I am. The topic is steered (and pressed) towards a potential donation. Usually on an "up to you" basis.

I only take Grab now.
yeah that sounds worse. the way to do it imo is just be polite, fairly quiet yet pleasant, not ask a load of questions that are none of your business, drive where you're asked to drive not where you think would be a good place to drive, and look a bit poor. that's maximum fare range territory for me.
Actually there seems to be a plan B (and even C). If A fails, B would be to ask for a phone I no longer use (an old Nokia feature phone for instance but he counts on someone like me not using it so there's a chance it might be a Samsung smartphone worth reselling for 40 or 50 bucks).

There's a certain degree of both active and passive persuasiveness that makes it hard to escape from this persistent pestering.
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