Booking a cab online from numerous apps such as Uber is something that has become a routine for many folks living in metro cities. There are some people who prefer to have a conversation with their assigned driver and listen to their interesting stories during the journey. No matter what kind of passenger you are, you must have wondered about the kind of life the drivers lead, their struggles or how much they are able to earn. We bring you several such stories of cab drivers in India. Aslam Khan, 44, who belongs to a rural area in Karnataka, has been driving an Uber since the last 10 years. Before joining as a gig worker, he used to drive a cab for a Japanese company. Khan told indianexpress.com that he drives his cab for eight to 12 hours on weekdays. He also drives his car as a school cab for one pickup and drop. Asked about his experience in the gig industry, he said he has been working with the company and it has given him respect. “The customers respect me. I ensure the best possible experience for them by being on time for pick up, not calling the customer repeatedly and being polite even if the customer has entered the wrong drop location,” he said. While he used to earn Rs 60,000 incentive in a week during his early days, he rues that earnings have dropped significantly now with incentives reducing gradually. For Masarath Begum, from Hyderabad, driving a cab to earn a livelihood is a battle against all odds. The hijab wearing driver says she has encountered all kinds of customers. The woman lost her husband in 2013 and was left alone to look after her two daughters, both of whom suffer from genetic tumours. Begum, who calls herself as one of the few women drivers in Hyderabad, said in spite of all this she didn’t lose hope and started driving a cab in February this year. Earlier, she used to work in a beauty salon. Begum said while some people have asked her disparagingly why she drives a cab being a Muslim woman, she has encountered many girls who have praised her. “Girls have found it surprising when they see me as their driver. They have reacted positively and said they feel safer with a woman driver.” Begum is, however, not satisfied with the company not providing insurance cover for the treatment of her children. She said both her daughters are losing vision in their eyes and are required to undergo operations. She rues how she manages to save only a few thousand rupees by the month end. Meanwhile, the company said they have not officially received any claim for insurance or help from Begum. Neelam, another woman driver from Delhi, started driving for Uber in 2019. The 42-year-old has two daughters and one son to look after, as her husband passed away due to cancer. Her neighbours discouraged her from taking up driving as a profession but she didn’t relent and learnt driving by joining an NGO named Azad Foundation. Asked if she ever fears for her safety while driving, she said she makes sure to drive only during day time. “Only during festivals, I drive till late in the night, as the demand is high. Sometimes I have encountered drunk customers, so I asked them to submit their IDs to me and I return it to them after dropping them to their location,” she said. Asked if people still have misconceived perceptions about women drivers, she said she has experienced several belittling comments from men. “While women always get encouraged after seeing me as their driver, men often pass stereotypical comments. “Once a man tried to cancel his ride several times but he was again getting assigned to me. So, he went along when he had no other option left. After the ride, he praised my driving skills and said his perception about me was completely wrong,” Neelam said. After toiling hard, she said she manages to save just Rs 15,000 to 18,000 a month after covering her CNG and petrol expenses. Then there is Varun, from Ghaziabad, who started driving his motorcycle for ride sharing app after losing his job during the pandemic. Prior to this, he only had corporate experience. Now, he has joined a corporate job and rides part-time. He is passionate about biking and has two bikes, TVS Sports and a Royal Enfield. At one of his jobs, his colleagues got to know that he rides for Uber and they appreciated him. However, at his current job he hasn’t disclosed this and prefers to keep it this way. Varun has a 6-star rating on the platform and said it is because he gives 100 per cent to his work. “Working has been the best for me, it was a company which gave me a living when I had no job and at the same time, I pursued my passion for biking," he said.
