Sheryl Seah, 32

On nights when she's not driving, Sheryl (third from left) catches up with friends over dinner.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel
On nights when she's not driving, Sheryl (third from left) catches up with friends over dinner.
My Reading Room

“I’m sitting in my car, waiting for a passenger I’ve arranged to pick up using the Grab app.

He arrives, gets into the car, and asks me to take him to Clarke Quay – unsurprising, because it’s a common destination for Saturday nights.

I quit my job as a senior designer for a large media organisation at the beginning of the year. Back then, I had an annual income of about $40,000, which was comfortable considering that I still live with my parents and don’t have to pay rent or utilities. But after seven years, I felt I needed a change.

So I decided to go freelance. The flexibility is great (I can work at home in my PJs!), but of course the salary is erratic and there are times when I get no jobs at all.

Since I have a car, I decided to become a Grab car driver to supplement my income as a freelance designer.

Grab or Uber driving is quite a common side gig for many young Singaporeans – especially if they’re between jobs.

At one point, when I was doing it on a full-time basis, my daily takings exceeded what I made as a senior designer.

But because I’m still young and want to climb the corporate ladder in my chosen field, I decided that it made more sense to drive part-time on weekends, or only when I’m between projects.

To get the highest number of customers I can, I have to drive during peak hours – that means 7am until lunchtime, and then from 5-8pm. Of course, Fridays and weekend nights are the most lucrative because everyone’s heading out for a fun night. Unfortunately, this means my social life has suffered – my friends are disappointed when I choose to drive instead of meeting up with them. But when we do, we usually go out for meals or check out the newest bar or restaurant. I love food, and if it’s worth it, I don’t mind dropping $500 on a great meal. I’ve even thought about flying to Jakarta just to eat at one of those gastromolecular restaurants!

Being a Grab car driver is a great way to get extra cash to fund my lifestyle, and it’s easy to get used to this stress free life. But I know it has no career prospects. I plan to start looking for a full-time job next year. I hope the market picks up so that I can find another full-time gig I’m passionate about. Until then, I’m praying that I’ll be the sole winner of the Toto Hongbao draw next year.”