Over the past few years, the popularity of bike taxis has surged, thanks to two main reasons: they are much cheaper compared to car taxis, and they are highly beneficial when it comes to navigating through traffic. Thus, bike taxis have become a favorable option in today's bustling life, offering an affordable, speedy, and comfortable journey.
Individuals with two-wheelers often attempt to earn some extra money during their free time or after office hours by operating as bike taxi riders. However, a common question persists—how much do these bike taxi riders actually earn? Also, in cases of ride cancellations or customer complaints, how does it affect them? To find answers, we interviewed bike taxi drivers working with Ola, Uber, and Rapido. Here’s what they shared.
How Much Do Bike Taxi Drivers Earn?
Kuldeep, who has been operating a Rapido bike taxi in Delhi-NCR for two years, explained that Rapido doesn’t have a fixed rate for riders per kilometer. If the customer pays 30 rupees for a kilometer ride, the driver may receive around 17 rupees after deductions. This amount can vary. Generally, for a 100 rupee ride, companies pay drivers between 70 to 80 rupees.
Another rider, Vipin, mentioned that Uber fixes the initial fare at 30 rupees, regardless of the ride distance for an entire day. Beyond this, Uber also takes a commission on each ride. Meanwhile, Kuldeep revealed that Ola pays drivers slightly less; for a one-kilometer ride, Ola pays about 7 rupees. However, nighttime rides yield more earnings compared to day rides.
Do Riders Lose Out on Ride Cancellations?
In case a ride is canceled, the company does not compensate the rider, even if the customer has been charged a cancellation fee. Vipin, a Rapido rider, stated that at times, they cover several kilometers only for the customer to cancel the ride unexpectedly. In this scenario, the rider incurs expenses on fuel, but the company doesn’t suffer any loss. The cancellation fee entirely goes to the company, not the rider.
Source: aajtak
Do Bike Taxi Riders Receive a Salary?
Riders do not receive a fixed salary from the company; their entire income is derived from rides, without any festival bonuses. However, some companies do offer riders incentives. According to Kuldeep, if a rider completes a significant number of rides in a day, the company might provide an incentive of 40 to 50 rupees.
What Happens if a Parcel is Lost?
If a rider is delivering a parcel that gets lost or damaged, they are liable to compensate the customer fully, irrespective of the parcel's value. The company does not bear the loss of a lost or broken parcel.
Do Riders Have Insurance Like Customers?
Many taxi companies offer insurance for customers. In the event of an accident during a ride, companies provide provisions for treatment and refunding the customer, provided the customer has prepaid the insurance amount, ranging from 3 to 10 rupees or more. Similarly, companies also arrange insurance for riders, where the rider must pay a certain amount. In case of an accident, the company covers all expenses, contingent upon a police FIR and accident evidence.
When Can Companies Dismiss Riders?
Kuldeep noted that riders can stop or start services at any time, without a notice period. However, companies may dismiss riders in specific instances, such as when there are multiple complaints or a police FIR against them. Additionally, customer reviews carry weight. If a rider receives mostly poor ratings, say 9 out of 10 bad reviews, the company may reach out to them.
Working for Multiple Companies
If you own a bike, you can work for different companies simultaneously. Vipin explained that if a rider is associated with just one company, they might not consistently receive ride requests. However, with logins for every company, waiting times for rides are considerably reduced. Vipin affirmed that riding for 6-7 hours daily won’t leave you at a loss and allows reasonable earnings.
