Thuy Phan/Nguoi Viet
SAIGON — Unless you were born and raised in Vietnam and know how to drive a scooter, chances are when you’re in this bustling city, you’ll need help to get around. For years, taxi drivers were the go-to mode of reliable transportation until technology kicked in and Uber parked itself in the Vietnamese transportation business.
Many people have turned to Uber for rides, which are booked through a smartphone app. Uber’s software dispatches the nearest driver to your location via GPS and once your ride is booked, you will receive a text to alert you when the driver arrives, as well as a profile of what the driver and notification of the type of car the driver has.
Ngoc Tan, 23, has been driving for Uber for the past three months and says it is a good job for him. (Photo: Thuy Phan/Nguoi Viet)
The cost of the ride will be charged to your credit card on file, and there’s no tipping involved. That means you don’t have to have anything more than your phone with you if you need a ride.
Ngoc Tan, 23, lives in District 6 of Saigon and began driving for Uber three months ago. Previously, he worked as a driver for tour companies.
“Uber is much better, with more flexible hours,” Tan said. “I make much more as an Uber driver than I did in my previous job driving tourists for travel companies.”
Tan said his day begins at 7 a.m. and ends around 11 p.m. On his busiest day, he will make 20 to 22 trips around the city; Uber takes 20 percent of his earnings. Most of his customers are Europeans or viet kieu – people of Vietnamese descent who live outside of Vietnam and come as tourists. Very rarely are his customers locals.
“New Uber drivers rely on the GPS to take their customers around, like myself,” Tan said. “For the more seasoned driver, they’ll know which streets to take, and if the customer knows, they can direct us.”
Customers can estimate how much their fare will cost and the price is on par with taxi fares, and occasionally is even cheaper.
While Uber operates as a cashless service, the company recently announced it would allow cash in Vietnam and in other select Southeast Asian countries since the majority of the population relies on cash. Vietnam is the first country in Southeast Asia where Uber chose to experiment its cash payment method.
“The fare does account for traffic,” Tan said. “For example, if your ride is 10 kilometers and it is supposed to take 10 minutes, but ends up taking 15 minutes, it will cost a little more. It’ll calculate it and end up being about three cents more for every extra minute.”
Tan has been saving money over the years as a driver and with the help of his family and a bank loan, was able to purchase the 2015 white, Hyundai Accent for approximately $28,000 USD. He said once he registered to be a driver, Uber trained him over a few days on how to use the app and how to talk to customers.
“I make enough to pay the lease and even have extra,” Tan said. “Each month my profit fluctuates, and it’s hit or miss. Each day I make about $45 and work 26 days a month (he takes Sundays off). Minus the fees and taxes, I can bring home about $900 a month.”
However, if he subtracts his car payment, gas and other expenses, he brings home close to $500 in profit. Not bad considering the average worker in Vietnam makes roughly $150 a month.
“The best thing about this is the freedom,” Tan said. “You are your own boss. I can go anywhere I want with my car. If I was driving a taxi, I wouldn’t be able to own my own car. Right in front of my eyes, I can see this is much more profitable.”
One of the difficulties Tan faces is the foreign customers and their unreliable or non-existent phone service in Vietnam. Many rely on Wi-Fi to connect to their own smartphones to use the apps versus buying prepaid phones while traveling abroad. However, if the customers step away from the Wi-Fi zone and loses connection, the driver might be unable to reach the passengers to let them know their ride has arrived, forcing the driver to wait in no-parking zones.
“Sometimes, if I’m waiting five to 10 minutes without being able to reach the customer, I’m forced to scrap the trip or risk being fined.”
While there are difficulties and the days are long, Tan said he is happy to be working with Uber. Tan said, “As long as there is still Uber in Vietnam, I’ll be driving it.”
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