- A Bengaluru BBA student shared his 3-month experience as a Rapido captain
- He worked 8 AM to 4:30 PM, earning around Rs 1,200 daily before expenses
- When rides were slow, he delivered food orders to supplement his income
A second-year college student from Bengaluru has caught social media's attention after sharing his three-month experience working as a Rapido captain. The BBA student said he started the side hustle during his college vacation to better understand how the algorithm and the gig economy work. Despite not understanding how the platform functioned initially, the student said he quickly figured out where the most demand came from, eventually helping him earn better.
As per the student, he usually started at 8 AM and worked till 4:30 PM and on a decent day, managed to make around Rs 1,200, without including the cost of fuel or other expenses.
"For me, it was actually a pretty good side hustle. But it also made me think a lot about people who depend on gig work as their entire livelihood. I didn't really take breaks during those hours," the student wrote.
When the rides were hard to come by in the afternoon, the student said he also delivered food orders to supplement his income.
"Sometimes the food is ready immediately. Other times you're standing there for 20-25 minutes waiting for them to prepare it," he said.
For three months, the student said he regularly logged around places like Majestic, railway stations and other busy areas. Although the auto drivers would give him looks, not a single one threatened or confronted him.
The student shared screenshots of his earnings dashboard to verify the numbers. In May, he completed 96 orders and earned Rs 5,650. His income climbed significantly in June, reaching Rs 16,660, before he wrapped up the stint in July with 233 completed orders and Rs 14,222 in earnings.
"It wasn't just about the Rs 1,200/day. I got to see what gig work actually feels like from the worker's side, the waiting, fuel costs, uncertainty, platform rules, customer issues, restaurant problems and the constant pressure to keep moving," said the student.
Check The Viral Post Here:
My 3-month experience doing Rapido as a side hustle in Bangalore — ₹1.2k/day, algorithm, restaurants & what I learned
by u/RapTer_OP in bangalore
Social Media Reactions
As the post gained traction, social media users lauded the students for providing a detailed breakdown of the experience.
"Amazing post, thanks for sharing your insights," said one user, while another added: "The way you have portrayed shows you have taken the whole experience as positive and learning. Keep the same attitude, and you will rise upwards while remaining rooted to the ground."
A third commented: "Very interesting insight. Thank you. Also, anybody ordering cash on delivery, please keep the amount ready. Don't try to search for money after they come or don't take five minutes just to open the door. Time is money for most people, particularly for gig workers."
A fourth said: "I have done it too, when I was studying BBA, no one threatened me, and I used to go from 7 to 11 in the morning and again from 4 to 9. I used to make 1.5k, including incentives. Then I quit."
