Fighting social discrimination with Uber
HYDERABAD: Researchers from the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIITH, in a study into the profiles of cab drivers working with Uber, have found that the drivers, who usually hail from marginalised or religious minority communities working with Uber, find the occupation as one, ‘that eschews social discrimination in their work life’.
For the study, the team of researchers interviewed 111 Uber drivers from Hyderabad for the study titled, ‘India’s “Uber Wallah”: Profiling Uber Drivers in the Gig Economy’.
The study also found that some of them were former truck drivers and others worked as farmers and drove tractors.”
Also, unlike the West, Indian drivers worked with the company full-time and sought a structure or formality in terms of employment in the job. Also, they mostly do not own the cars, forcing Uber to roll out India-specific initiatives.