Bengaluru: A second-year BBA student from Bengaluru spent his three-month college break working as a Rapido rider, earning up to Rs 1,200 on a good day and gaining a first-hand understanding of the realities of gig work.
The student shared his experience in a Reddit post, describing the long working hours, fuel costs, waiting time and challenges involved in depending on app-based work for income.
Student worked nearly 8.5 hours a day
The student said he typically logged in at around 8 am and worked until 4.30 pm, putting in nearly 8.5 hours a day. After learning when and where demand was higher, he said earning reasonably well became easier.
During slower afternoon hours, particularly between noon and 3 pm, he switched from bike rides to food deliveries to make better use of his time.
One food order exposed a platform problem
One incident left him particularly frustrated when he accepted a food order through Rapido. On reaching an ice cream shop, he found that a power cut had stopped the machines and the order could not be prepared.
The restaurant directed him to Swiggy, while Swiggy directed him back to Rapido. The student said he spent nearly 45 minutes trying to resolve the issue before independently contacting the destination and getting the order cancelled.
Gig work looks different when income depends on it
The experience changed the student’s understanding of gig work. Beyond the daily earnings, he said riders have to deal with fuel expenses, waiting periods, uncertainty and platform rules.
His biggest takeaway was that working in the gig economy for three months as a student is very different from doing it when a family depends on that income.
The account has drawn attention to the less visible pressures faced by gig workers, even as app-based employment continues to offer flexible earning opportunities.