Perhaps, one of the most interesting jobs that were “invented” out of urbanization is the taxi driver. Although it may seem insignificant, those who are in this line are as important to many of us as much as that of a doctor.
Urbanization brought the increase of commuting. In the agrarian societies, people just lived on their lands as most of the societies had subsistence farming as a source to provide them with their daily food needs. However, as industrialization loomed over, many flocked to the cities in search of the promise of better jobs in the factories. Population of the cities boomed and it only increased as the industrial revolution swept the world. This invented the ideology that projected a better standard of living for many. How? Well, the jobs in the factories ‘promised’ wages that the individual can use to obtain a better standard of living. Jobs in the cities were often seen as a method of upward social mobility.
Urbanization gave birth to both inter-city and intra-city commuting. It is much a common sight to see people travelling to and fro work in the morning and evening respectively. As observed in Singapore (this is also common in other cities in the world), people no longer lived at the place they work unlike those in the agrarian societies. Urbanization created a spatial distinction between places of work, the home and also places of leisure. Thus, commuting from one place to another became a large part of our daily lives.
Walking from one place to another (especially tens of kilometres each day) was too troublesome for anyone. This can be seen in ancient times where only the rich resided in the cities because they could afford horses and other modes of transportation if they needed to go somewhere. However, those who couldn’t, namely the poor, stayed on their lands and survived on subsistence farming only. Even if they did travel, they would walk.
This can be conceptualized into the modern concept through the observation that only the rich or well –off are able to afford cars for their own travelling means. However, those who couldn’t afford cars had to find alternative means of commuting. With the creating of spatial division, people had to travel from their home to their work place on a daily basis. The rickshaw (or bechak) was one of the earliest forms of taxi in Singapore. In fact, it also existed in since ancient times. Ancient cities such as China had the rickshaw while Venice had its gondola along with many others.
What prompted for the creation of such an occupation? Well, the need to commute within the cities itself. While it was viewed as a form of luxury to travel in one back then, nowadays, it is quite reasonably priced to travel I one back then. While in can be seen that travelling in one is one of great convenience, it is really a sign that people want to isolate themselves from the rest of society. People still take the taxi despite the fact that Singapore has one of the most excellent public transport systems in the world. Everywhere is within walking distance either from MRT stations or bus stops.
People who own cars too have their functions. The manifest function of it is for the convenience of commuting. On the other hand, its latent function is also to isolate themselves from the rest of the society whilst commuting (this can be observed widely today). The taxi is no different. In fact, it was on this very basis that more taxi companies sprung up recently as the demand for taxi increased. People no longer want to travel with others; they just want to do it comfortably in their own stride.
