/S’pore taxi driver accepts S$10 payment for S$15 fare, goes distance to help mum of 3 on rainy morning – Mothership.SG – News from Singapore, Asia and around the world

S’pore taxi driver accepts S$10 payment for S$15 fare, goes distance to help mum of 3 on rainy morning – Mothership.SG – News from Singapore, Asia and around the world

A ComfortDelgro taxi driver in Singapore lent a helping hand to a mother of three who was struggling to send her kids to school.

Couldn’t get a taxi

On Tuesday (Jan. 12) morning, the mother, Noor Shakila, took to Facebook to share her experience with the driver.

According to her post, she was struggling to find a taxi as it was raining heavily.

As soon as she managed to get one, the driver cancelled on her because her kids were taking too long to get ready.

Shakila went down and found out that the taxi had left.

“Well mannered and helpful”

She then book another taxi and soon came Cai Jiaxiang, a man in his early 30s, according to Shakila.

Cai was “very well mannered and helpful”.

When they reached her daughters’ school, the rain got heavier.

Cai then offered her an umbrella and allowed her son to stay in the taxi as she sent her daughters into the school.

When Shakila returned to the taxi, her son was crying and whining.

“Kids are always cranky in the morning. They always need a hug or a kiss,” she added.

However, Cai did not complain. Instead, he was understanding and empathetic of the situation.

He told Shakila: “Don’t worry, I understand. I also have kid. Now Primary 1 already. I don’t know how u can handle all three.”

Offered to send her to another destination

As the rain got heavier, Shakila was concerned about how she was going to send her son home.

To add on to her predicament, she didn’t have an umbrella.

To her surprise, Cai offered to send her to her destination.

He said: “Where do you want to go? Raining heavily. I can send you there. It’s raining, it’s difficult for you to walk.”

Helped her search for bus routes

Cai and Shakila then had a brief conversation.

Shakila said that she had recently resigned from work and was going to a job interview later that day.

Cai had offered to send her to her interview place but as she was worried about the expensive taxi fare, she declined the offer.

However, Cai stopped the taxi for a while and helped to search for the correct bus routes.

He was concerned that Shakila might take the wrong route in the rainy weather.

“That extra mile he went ah… this man was so nice,” said Shakila.

Gave a discount

Once they reached the final destination, Shakila was ready to pay the S$15 taxi fare.

But Cai insisted that she paid only S$10.

Cai: “You can just pay me S$10. Keep the rest.”

Shakila: “Please let me pay the full amount. You’re working. I can pay the full S$15.”

Cai: “Eh it’s okay! S$10 is fine. I need to support my family, you also need to support your family. S$10 is enough for me. Leave the rest for your children. I’m fine, don’t worry. I have children too, I know it’s hard.”

Shakila was hesitant, but at the same time, she said that she was thankful.

“He was very thoughtful and willing to go extra mile to help me today. He is willing to let me pay just S$10 so I could save more,” she added.

At the end of her post, she also said that Cai wished her good luck for her job interview.

You can read Shakila’s full Facebook post here:

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Top images from Noor Shakila/FB & by Syahindah Ishak.