In early 2022, there was around $9-10,000 of free money and the question of investments arose to obtain stable passive income. I considered various directions for myself: real estate, cryptocurrencies, and cars. Weighing all the pros and cons, and assessing the risks and returns, I decided to invest my free funds in two cars and use them for taxi services. At first, I planned to deal with this issue independently, but I encountered certain questions and nuances: staff selection, technical maintenance, control, and ensuring the uninterrupted operation of the cars. I realized that it was easier and more efficient to agree to cooperate with an existing taxi fleet. After negotiating with three companies operating in the taxi industry, I settled on the "UTCTAXI" company. Why did I choose this company? I was attracted to the openness and transparency of the working conditions, competent and qualified personnel, and the regularity and quality of car maintenance. I am satisfied with our collaboration. All payments are made promptly within the established timeframe, and despite the high mileage, the condition of the cars is very good!

In short, I have to say that this investment has been the most profitable in the last five years. I didn't expect it to even feed me during the war! The payback period can vary significantly depending on the car and the driver who operates it. Luckily, I have one of the best drivers in the taxi fleet. My Honda has proven to be an excellent choice for a taxi over the year. It is a beautiful car that both drivers and passengers love, allowing me to quickly recoup my investment. Unfortunately, I can't afford to buy another one yet, but as soon as my financial situation improves, I will get another one. If you are planning to invest in a taxi fleet, it is essential to consider the make and model of the car, the year of manufacture, the fresher, the fewer repairs it needs, and the mileage and condition are also important. The more reliable and economical the car, the faster you can recoup your investment. I would take an electric one next. However, don't forget that the profitability of the taxi fleet also depends on the market, the level of competition, and taxi service rates. At the beginning of the war, there was a terrible drop. Calculate your potential income and expenses and have a reserve for unforeseen expenses. After all, there's a war going on in our country! Ultimately, if you choose the right car and do everything right, with the help of the guys from "UTCTAXI," you will be able to quickly recoup your investment and make a good income.

I have had personal experience with someone who bought and entrusted their car to a local taxi fleet, one successful with Ruslan at "UTCTAXI" and another unsuccessful with a friend who gave it to one of the largest taxi fleets. Investing in a taxi business is not only profitable but also risky. If "UTCTAXI" did not have a reserve fund for repairs, which is much cheaper than taxi insurance and any other form of reinsurance, I would not have taken the risk. I also knew Slava, who bought a car and then encountered a problem when his car was destroyed. However, thanks to the help of the fleet management and lawyer, he was able to resolve everything and even restore the car, which was important to me. Therefore, I recommend only approaching trusted individuals to make the investment real. As of today, I do not see any worthy payback periods, except for this area. Investing in a taxi still brings stable income, even in times of war and difficult economic conditions when other sources of income decline. I have looked at the research and realized that the Ukrainian taxi market continues to grow and develop, despite the high competition in this industry! In the end, it is necessary to choose the right taxi fleet and location where the car will work. If this trend continues, I will take a couple more cars in the summer. For now, I am testing everything on one Toyota Prius. The period is short, from November, it’s four months, so it is difficult to draw any conclusions, but the car is intact, and the earnings are clear day to day, and the rest is not important to me.

I would like to share my experience of collaborating with the company "UTCTAXI". My wife and children left for France at the beginning of the war, leaving her Toyota Corolla unused in the garage. I considered selling it because I already have one, but unfortunately, I was unable to find a buyer willing to pay a reasonable price. By chance, some mutual friends introduced me to the management of "UTCTAXI". After discussing the details, I purchased the necessary equipment, they had installed it in their auto repair shop and included it in their daily 24/7 monitoring routine. One thing I like about this arrangement is that I don't have to deal with anything on-site. There were scratches and cracks on the bumper and rear fender due to use, and the driver was responsible for fixing them. I recommend getting a hybrid car that costs less than $12,000, as it will pay for itself in two years, or you can sell it if it starts to break down. I have been receiving regular payments for over a year now. I am also considering adding a Prius to the fleet. I own a Toyota Camry myself, but I only want to have it serviced by these guys. They have been working with Toyotas for over 15 years, and their expertise shows. Surprisingly, even with high mileage, the Corolla is still in good condition and has required minimal repairs over the past year and a half, to be honest, I thought the car would fall apart within a year. We had to replace the control arms, stabilizer bushings, and tie rod ends, and I had to get a new battery in the winter, but that's it. The car has been very reliable! If you have any unused cars, I highly recommend considering this option!

I will tell you about my experience investing in a taxi in Ukraine. At first, I bought one car (Honda Insight) and gave it to the local taxi fleet "UTCTAXI" for management in 2020. When I decided to invest in a taxi, I had no experience in this industry, so I thought it was reasonable to turn to trusted people recommended by a classmate, as I had no time or desire to deal with it myself. The head of the fleet that I chose did everything possible to make the investment safe. I mention this because the car was destroyed (TOTAL). Under the terms of the insurance agreement, I tried to handle the matter myself initially, but the insurance provider prolonged the entire appraisal and auction process significantly because it had to compensate for the complete constructive loss, taking into account a fair assessment. I realized that I could not handle this task on my own, so I asked for help from "UTCTAXI" lawyer Alexander, who did all the letters, made statements, and other things in a couple of days, resolved everything within a month, and found decent assessors and so on. As a result, all the money was received. I decided to restore the car at the "UTCTAXI" service, and the guys did everything correctly and on time. The only problem was with the delivery of American parts, which had to wait for an additional 1.5 months, but this was also resolved. In the end, the car was restored and put back to work. The profitability decreased compared to pre-war times, mainly due to changes in the dollar exchange rate. In Hryvnia, it got even slightly higher. This year, I took the other 2 cars (Toyota) under preferential customs clearance and also gave them for buyback through "UTCTAXI". I am satisfied because the business topics that were there before the war has shut down, and now apart from renting premises, which has greatly decreased, this is my only constant income. I don't know what I would do without these sources. I want to take a couple more cars by the end of the year. The management team of the taxi fleet is professional and always ready to help. They reacted instantly when I had questions, and there was a lot of hassle with the first car being broken. I couldn't handle it on my own. Besides, they have all the modern technologies, mobile applications, and GPS navigation, constant control over the drivers. It is important to me because nowadays, the car's safety is not an empty sound. Since I gave the car to the fleet for management, I have been receiving regular monthly payments. I paid off the first car in a year and a half, and now it's pure profit. What I like most is that I don't have to worry about car maintenance - all the regular maintenance is done according to the schedule, and repairs are covered by the spare parts inventory on the day of the breakdown. This allows me to focus on my other projects. And most importantly, they find competent drivers. I will continue to work with these guys, and if you have any questions, I can meet with you to show you my cars, tell you more about them, or help you choose one, because now I understand better what to look for when buying a car.