The life of a pedicab driver
By dorisday1971
@dorisday1971 (5657)
Philippines
September 2, 2009 2:04am CST
A pedicab is a human-powered vehicle. . . The past weeks I have been riding pedicabs to my work. . . Everytime I ride a pedicab, I talk to the driver so that they will not be bored while they pedal the pedicab. .. . From these conversations with the pedicab drivers, I learned that they earn very little amount of amount which do not commensurate their efforts. Pedalling or driving the pedicab is needs physical efforts. Aside from that, these drivers are exposed to sun and rain.
The pedicab drivers usually has a gross daily income of P150. The P60 will go to the owner of the pedicab for boundary as they call it, then they will buy NFA rice at P18 - 25, fish P50 and bread P15. . .. According to them, it's a lucky day for them if they will earn more (and the "more" is usually P20).. . .. When I learned about this, I really I felt so guilty. .. . It's a new learning experience for me. . .
1 person likes this
5 responses
@jazel_juan (15745)
• Philippines
2 Sep 09
yes i also get the same thoughts whenever i ride a tricycle..thats our common mode of transportation here and i have my sympathy for the drivers because they barely earn.and commodities are sky high!:(
@dorisday1971 (5657)
• Philippines
2 Sep 09
Although their work as a driver does not give them much money, I still salute them because they are working legitimately. ..
@leeleeluvsu (1)
• United States
2 Sep 09
i to salute them, its hard work but everyone one has to make money to survive somehow, some may work a little bit harder than others but the ones who work harder than others are the ones who deserve more respect.
@rsa101 (40976)
• Philippines
2 Sep 09
I am not a pedicab rider since there is none available in our place. But I can see the effort they made and i never realized that they earn that small. I wonder why do they stick to that kind of livelihood. I do not think that its that small because from what I know in some streets here in Manila the riders are plenty for it and they do not just earn that small since at one area I see there are many riders and pedicab drivers have plenty of passengers to pick up. Although your right about the effort they exert. Physically it is exhausting to bring one passengers to their destination. And the pay is rather low compared to that of the motorized tricylcles.
@agv0419 (3021)
• Philippines
2 Sep 09
It is very hard to drive a pedicab because you uses your own strength to be able to move it. I feel pity to them sometimes at least it is very decent job that they should be proud of. Yes they earn very little and some don't own their own pedicab. We don't have pedicab here but in the province they still uses it by means of transportation.
@dorisday1971 (5657)
• Philippines
2 Sep 09
In our place, the pedicab drivers really earn that small. The effort is so much, yet the income is not much. The fare is only P5 for each passenger and usually they only have passenger for every route. How could they earn much?
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13729)
• Philippines
2 Sep 09
It would really be nice if all pebicab drivers own their own pebicab... this would mean that all the money they earn are theirs to keep... just like my uncle who is a tricycle driver... he has his own tricycle so what he earns the whole days is more than enough for his family...
There are no pebicabs where i live... but i sure wish there are because i prefer them rather than ride a tricycle which i think are very noisy and causes a lot of air pollution...
@dorisday1971 (5657)
• Philippines
2 Sep 09
It is good if the driver is also the owner because they can get more income. .. Too bad for those who don't have pedicabs. .. I feel so sad about their plight. There are more pedicabs in the rural areas. . .
1 person likes this
@mobhomeir (7558)
• Philippines
3 Sep 09
I absolutely agree with you my friend. I really pity on these people to think that they have not only one mouth to feed. Some of them has so many children. I can hardly imagine their life if they would feel sick and could not drive anymore...So sad really....
@asliah (11137)
• Philippines
11 Mar 13
i don't know what is the life of a pedicab driver but being a driver or an owner of that life still hard for them to survive,because they will not earn their target everyday,i mean they earn very different everyday,still the life of any driver is hard.
