This week’s focus on Community Life is on the challenges of corporate drivers in Lagos, call them Uber or Bolt drivers, often times, riders heap several allegations of poor service from these drivers. And rarely do we give drivers the benefit of doubt.
Mr. Ayo Adebusuyi, a 45 years old Bolt driver took Community Bell on a journey of what the life of an average corporate driver looks like in Lagos.
When did you start driving?
I started driving in 2017, then I was driving for someone and I was delivering every week, but I was able to deliver and save money. Now, I have my own car, it’s a business that is very lucrative, depends on the lifestyle you live, and you can achieve anything as a Bolt driver.
Some drivers find it hard remitting weekly to their car owners, what do you think is responsible?
Remember I said earlier that the lifestyle of an individual matters in any profession, in the course of our job we meet all sorts, there are distractions, take for instance, drivers are offered sex instead of payment, so if the driver says yes, the number of minutes or hours used, there is no way such a driver with such attitude can meet up with deliveries. In our line of business it is very easy to be reckless but when you are focused, there is a lot to benefit when one is dedicated.
What are the things riders do that upsets you?
Some of them know they don’t have money to pay for their rides yet they will call for a ride, I once took a passenger to her destination, she said she will do a transfer on her mobile app, so I left, as I speak to you, I haven’t gotten that money. There are numerous other experiences. Another thing is that when there is traffic and you want to take alternate route to beat traffic, some will ask you not to, but when you run into traffic, they start blaming you, like you deliberately ran into traffic. It’s not been easy given the current traffic situation of Lagos these days, these things can be frustrating and then or is it how men of the underworld have tried to make this business hellish for us, working at night has become so dangerous.
So how has the current Lagos traffic affected your business?
It used to be the most preferred form of transportation, but with the emergence of Oride, GoKada, MaxE and others, people will rather take those bikes because they are faster and can easily fit into little spaces. I mean it is logical, if I have an appointment to keep I will definitely take a means of transportation that can take me there soonest. Most times I don’t sleep at home, if I’m on the island, all I have to do is to look for a good location where most of our drivers sleep, our cars are our hotel (laughs)
So how does your family cope with your absence?
Usually I go home every weekend, it’s better now, unlike when I started this business, it was so bad that I rarely see my children, because I had to ensure that my delivery money is complete, but I try to make out time for them, and having a wife that understands goes a long way in my line of business, my wife tries to maintain the balance.
The Yuletide season is fast approaching, what safety measures should riders pay attention to?
Engage your driver in conversations, most accident happen around this period, because most time drivers caught down on the time they spend sleeping because of the surge around these period, so you need to keep your drivers in a communication, to be rest assured that they are not asleep. Then again always crosscheck the plate number with what you have on your app, so many people don’t, it’s the best way to stay safe this season.
