MALAYSIANS now have the opportunity to become an Uber driver and generate income by leasing a new Proton Saga from Quick Ride Sdn Bhd for only RM45 a day.
Quick Ride, the company responsible for leasing cars to eligible drivers, is an entity conceptualised by Cartrade Group and Koperasi Pelaburan Amanah Bhd (KAPB).
KAPB is collaborating with Uber to form a smart partnership on the venture.
“When one has a bad credit rating, it is hard to own a vehicle as banks won’t grant them loans. Through this partnership, the qualified individual can lease a Proton car by paying RM1,000 as a deposit and going through some background checks.
“Those who meet the mandatory requirements will be able to lease either a brand new Proton Saga for RM45 a day or a Proton Persona for RM55 per day,” said KAPB executive chairman Datuk Ilyas Mohamed after the launching ceremony.
Ilyas said drivers only needed to pay for the vehicle’s fuel and tyres as the rest would be taken care of by Quick Ride.
“The vehicles’ maintenance, road tax and insurance are absorbed by Quick Ride. We will provide the drivers a new Proton every three years,” said Ilyas.
He said Quick Ride vehicles would be part of the UberX view in the company’s ride-sharing application.
“The unique feature of Uber cars under Quick Ride is that passengers would be able to enjoy free Wifi as well as a digital interactive tablet in the back seat pocket. It will provide a hassle-free, convenient and informative journey,” he said.
Ilyas said the leasing programme started on Thursday and the company was expected to lease out 1,000 cars by January next year.
“The company plans to gradually increase the fleet to 10,000 units over the next two years, creating more job opportunities,” said Ilyas.
Based on a quick calculation, the programme offered by Quick Ride, which adds up to RM1,350 a month, is rather competitive.
This is because the monthly instalment for a Proton Saga 1.3 Standard CVT adds up to RM770 under a five-year payment period (based on 3.2 per cent interest).
On top of that, the cost of maintaining the car — based on a monthly mileage of 5,500km assumption — may cost as RM333 a month.
Coupled with insurance and road tax, the car owner may be looking at a monthly commitment of over RM1,200 over a five-year period.
With the Quick Ride programme, the qualified participants will only need to pay about RM150 more than what they would have to pay on a five-year loan instament, and will be able to exchange for a new car every three years.
The programme is also an easy way for them to get into the ride-hailing industry. They need not worry about insurance costs and the maintenance of the vehicles, as well as the cost of the car’s down payment.
Interested applicants may fill the application form at www.quickride.my.