Uberizing Informality: The Case of Non-owner, Driver-Partners in the City of Hyderabad

Abstract

The growth of gig platforms in India has seen the arrival of platforms such as Uber and Ola who have rapidly expanded to employ millions of drivers as “independent partners” in urban centres across the country. These drivers form the backbone of these platforms, which look to connect these drivers to prospective riders and charge a fee for proffering their services. This paper attempts to frame the rise of gig work historically and understand it through the lens of non-owner Uber partners in the city of Hyderabad. It attempts to locate the distinct varieties of drivers within the ride-hailing ecosystem, while focussing on reintermediation in the sector, which employs a significant number of non-owner drivers. The paper finally looks at the impact of labour oversupply within the driver marketplace and argues for a regulatory structure that is representative of the distinct nature of gig markets.