Karaoke cab a hit with passengers
From parliamentarians to people wanting to keep the party going after a big night, it seems a Wellington taxi driver’s karaoke cab is gaining quite a reputation.
Self-employed Riadi Subagya installed the karaoke machine in his taxi last June, in time for the British and Irish Lions’ two games in the capital, and it was not long before customers were belting out a Tom Jones classicon their journeys home.
‘‘The most popular song when the [All Blacks] game was in Wellington was Every single person in my taxi was singing that song,’’ Subagya said.
Since then, he estimates he receives about three calls a week from people wanting to ride in his taxi, whether it be after a night on the town or for an early morning trip to the airport.
It is believed Subagya’s taxi is the only one in New Zealand to have a karaoke machine.
‘‘Last time, I got a job from Parliament and the customer wanted to go to the airport and I said: I have a karaoke machine.
‘‘Straight away the lady was singing a couple of songs on the way to the airport, and at the end they always ask for my number to use me on the next trip.’’
Another group recently sang several songs on the way from Petone to the airport at 4am.
But Friday and Saturday nights were the busiest, with late-night revellers keen to keep the party going.
‘‘They’ve just finished drinking, they like to relax, and when I give them the [song] book they choose the song and they’re straight away singing.’’
The taxi is equipped with a karaoke microphone, which is plugged into Subagya’s car using an adaptor he manufactured himself, and a screen with song lyrics on the back of the driver’s seat.
The machine, which Subagya bought on auction site eBay, has 2000 inbuilt songs from the 1960s to the mid-2000s.
He has a separate chip containing about 900 Indonesian songs which can also be inserted into the microphone.
Subagya first thought of the idea many years ago but finally bought the microphone last year.
He has been a taxi driver for 12 years, having previously worked as a tour guide in Indonesia before coming to New Zealand in 1993.
People were suitably surprised when they realised they had jumped into a karaoke cab, Subagya said.
‘‘When I say: Would you like to sing karaoke in my taxi?, they say: Oh, you’re kidding me, mate.
‘‘I say: Yes, I’ve got 3000 songs. When I start it up, they choose the song and they sing beautifully.’’
Subagya installed the machine because he loved singing, and he was happy to admit he often belted out a few numbers when he was driving alone.
‘‘Because I can’t see the lyrics, I have to sing the songs that I know by heart.’’
But ultimately the karaoke was for the customers.