4 ms·

I'll counter your anecdata with mine. I usually take Uber in India, and often ask the driver about his work, how much he makes, etc. This is for a North-Indian

I'll counter your anecdata with mine. I usually take Uber in India, and often ask the driver about his work, how much he makes, etc. This is for a North-Indian Tier-2 city. The answer usually is that he makes INR 6000/month. Now, I have eaten in middling restaurants where a meal for 2 came to INR 2500. In fact, I've been to cafes where a "meal" of tea, snacks, etc. alone came to over INR 700/pp. You would be hard pressed to get a decent meal in a clean, hygenic and modern restaurant for INR 200 anywhere in North India.

piyushpr134 9y ago
Uber guy earning INR6000/month! Man you have been conned hard. An Ola/Uber guy earn something like INR35-50K per month after all fuel and car expenses. No one would work for 6K/month even in tier 3 cities for Ola/Uber. In fact there were days when drivers were earning (due to incentives) about 6K (revenue) per day in cities like Delhi and Bangalore
- snambi 9y ago
  makes sense. it is easy to make money when the passengers feel for the driver's hard life. :)
  - 1024core 9y ago
    But there's no "tip" system in Uber, and they had nothing to gain from it (and they didn't gain anything either). So, to what purpose? I recommend asking the drivers yourselves.
- 1024core 9y ago
  Several of the Uber guys I spoke with were actually drivers of some rich businessmen; they were told to Uber during the times they were not needed. A couple of them were "for hire" drivers, being paid a flat INR 200/day to operate the car for 10 hours/day. I don't know why they'd be conning me, and so many of them too, unless there's a "driver mafia" out to fool the public about .... what their driver makes?? Doesn't pass Occam's test.
  - kamaal 9y ago
    >>A couple of them were "for hire" drivers Most of them are that way. Most cops are into this business, its getting impossible to invest black cash in a meaningful way. There are now capital controls in every investment. Want to buy gold, land, mutual funds, whatever? Get ready to submit you PAN and Aadhar. So they can't spend money that way. At very same time, they can't sit on cash, because inflation. They generally buy the vehicle in a relative's name, with black cash(Huge second hand market for this). And do this cab business. Most drivers are poor ex-farm workers. So they take whatever they get. The last time I heard from a auto rickshaw driver, more or less every cop in Bangalore has something like this going.
- kamaal 9y ago
  Early days in all these kind of schemes are good. These days drivers don't make much. There is a wild rush to get your cab listed or attached to some BigCo transport, because you get paid better, plus guaranteed business. Also note most people driving for Uber/Ola are cabs from black money sources. Most government employees now buy cabs and auto rickshaws and do this business, as avenues for spending black money are drying out. So at the end cab driver makes less money. Most Uber/Ola business in Bangalore is around IT parks, Malls etc. Where there is a lot of traffic during peak hours, and you can't do more than one trip in the morning.
rohit2412 9y ago
> In fact, I've been to cafes where a "meal" of tea, snacks, etc. alone came to over INR 700/pp. I've been to restaurants where the expense (including drinks) was 5k per head. One of the companies during placements took new hires out for dinner, the bill was 12k per head. I've been to places in USA where the bill was 200$ per head. This isn't a "decent meal". > You would be hard pressed to get a decent meal in a clean, hygenic and modern restaurant for INR 200 anywhere in North India. I can suggest dozens of places in Chandigarh and Delhi. Even McDonalds, Dominoes would cost less than 200 per head. And those are considered a decent place in India.
- kamaal 9y ago
  A decent veg burger, with fries costs around 50 rupees in Burger King, in Bangalore. Or you could eat at Darshinis, and they serve Indian meals(Rice, Sambar, Some friend snack, banana) at more or less the same price.
devdas 9y ago
It's not that hard. A meal without alcohol? Easy.

piyushpr134 9y ago

Uber guy earning INR6000/month! Man you have been conned hard. An Ola/Uber guy earn something like INR35-50K per month after all fuel and car expenses. No one would work for 6K/month even in tier 3 cities for Ola/Uber. In fact there were days when drivers were earning (due to incentives) about 6K (revenue) per day in cities like Delhi and Bangalore

snambi 9y ago
makes sense. it is easy to make money when the passengers feel for the driver's hard life. :)
- 1024core 9y ago
  But there's no "tip" system in Uber, and they had nothing to gain from it (and they didn't gain anything either). So, to what purpose? I recommend asking the drivers yourselves.
1024core 9y ago
Several of the Uber guys I spoke with were actually drivers of some rich businessmen; they were told to Uber during the times they were not needed. A couple of them were "for hire" drivers, being paid a flat INR 200/day to operate the car for 10 hours/day. I don't know why they'd be conning me, and so many of them too, unless there's a "driver mafia" out to fool the public about .... what their driver makes?? Doesn't pass Occam's test.
- kamaal 9y ago
  >>A couple of them were "for hire" drivers Most of them are that way. Most cops are into this business, its getting impossible to invest black cash in a meaningful way. There are now capital controls in every investment. Want to buy gold, land, mutual funds, whatever? Get ready to submit you PAN and Aadhar. So they can't spend money that way. At very same time, they can't sit on cash, because inflation. They generally buy the vehicle in a relative's name, with black cash(Huge second hand market for this). And do this cab business. Most drivers are poor ex-farm workers. So they take whatever they get. The last time I heard from a auto rickshaw driver, more or less every cop in Bangalore has something like this going.
kamaal 9y ago
Early days in all these kind of schemes are good. These days drivers don't make much. There is a wild rush to get your cab listed or attached to some BigCo transport, because you get paid better, plus guaranteed business. Also note most people driving for Uber/Ola are cabs from black money sources. Most government employees now buy cabs and auto rickshaws and do this business, as avenues for spending black money are drying out. So at the end cab driver makes less money. Most Uber/Ola business in Bangalore is around IT parks, Malls etc. Where there is a lot of traffic during peak hours, and you can't do more than one trip in the morning.

rohit2412 9y ago

> In fact, I've been to cafes where a "meal" of tea, snacks, etc. alone came to over INR 700/pp. I've been to restaurants where the expense (including drinks) was 5k per head. One of the companies during placements took new hires out for dinner, the bill was 12k per head. I've been to places in USA where the bill was 200$ per head. This isn't a "decent meal". > You would be hard pressed to get a decent meal in a clean, hygenic and modern restaurant for INR 200 anywhere in North India. I can suggest dozens of places in Chandigarh and Delhi. Even McDonalds, Dominoes would cost less than 200 per head. And those are considered a decent place in India.

kamaal 9y ago
A decent veg burger, with fries costs around 50 rupees in Burger King, in Bangalore. Or you could eat at Darshinis, and they serve Indian meals(Rice, Sambar, Some friend snack, banana) at more or less the same price.

devdas 9y ago

It's not that hard. A meal without alcohol? Easy.