Fuel Price Shock: Cab drivers looking to other professions

King Koti: Earnings of cab drivers working for Uber and Ola aggregators have been hit hard due to steep increase in petrol and diesel prices. Many are shifting to bike taxis. Some have even chosen to make some earnings by running CNG autos.

Explaining the impact of fuel price hike, Mohammed Laeeq (33), a resident of Errakunta, said: "a cab ride from King Koti the RGI Airport costs Rs 700. However, the earnings of the driver, after a cut that goes to the cab aggregator, is very less. Instead of earning Rs 400 from this trip, the cab driver gets only Rs 250."

Unable to eke out a living, as a result, Laeeqopted for a two-wheeler taxi instead. "I had returned the car to the company as I was not able to pay the monthly EMI and was not making minimum earnings.

I heard about the bike taxi and got enrolled myself to a company. I took my own bike and am making around Rs 500 to 800 in a day, as I will be on road for more than 10 hours," says Laeeq.

Another cab driver, K Venkateshwar Rao, a resident of Balanagar, said, "Last year I had faced difficulties due to lockdown. There was a hope once the services were resumed, but rising fuel prices made me sell the four-wheeler, as I was unable to fulfil obligations such as paying house rent, children's school fee and medical expenses of my father. With no option left, I purchased Bajaj CD 100 on finance, and I am riding it to make some money for my family."

Not just these two cab drivers, several others of city have switched over to bike taxi following the petrol and diesel price hike. The General Secretary of Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), Shaik Salauddin, said that app-based transport workers were suffering on account of rising fuel prices.

Even delivery workers face the pinch of fuel price hike. While the oil prices are increasing, app-based transport workers across the country, associated with companies like Ola, Uber, Porter, Lynk, Swiggy, Zomato, Rapido, and Dunzo, are facing burden, as all have to bear rising petrol costs from their own earnings.

Increasing fuel prices directly have a negative impact on their earnings."