Self-employment through ride-hailing: Drivers’ experiences in Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract

Orientation: Ride-hailing services have gained popularity in South Africa because of their ability to provide a reliable alternative to traditional modes of transport. However, little is known about ride-hailing drivers.Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the ride-hailing drivers’ job satisfaction levels and the challenges they experienced.Motivation for the study: This study was motivated by the lack of scholarly information on the experiences of drivers involved in ride-hailing in the context of South Africa.Research design, approach and method: This study adopted a pragmatic approach through a mixed-method, survey-based design. Fifty-three ride-hailing drivers were randomly interviewed in Johannesburg, South Africa, using a pre-designed and piloted questionnaire. Data were analysed using methods of descriptive interpretation and inductive thematic analysis.Main findings: A descriptive statistical analysis showed that most ride-hailing drivers provide the service to earn their primary income. Furthermore, a thematic analysis found that ride-hailing drivers felt unsafe providing these services because of the violence they experienced from minibus taxi operators in the region.Practical/managerial implications: In a country plagued by unemployment, the development of small businesses is an important income-generating opportunity for many. To further develop the employment potential of the growing ride-hailing industry, governments at various levels should provide greater support and safety measures for ride-hailing drivers.Contribution/value-add: This study contributes a unique dataset in exploring ride-hailing drivers’ self-employment, job satisfaction and challenges in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Does Job Satisfaction Influence the Productivity of Ride-Sourcing Drivers? A Hierarchical Structural Equation Modelling Approach for the Case of Bandung City Ride-Sourcing Drivers

“…These include, but are not limited to, working hours, current and previous job, driving enjoyment, safety, and interaction with other people. Overall, studies in both developing and developed countries conclude that ride-sourcing service is quite a satisfying job for drivers [18,25,26]. Moreover, compared to other workers, ride-sourcing drivers have a higher level of life satisfaction and a feeling of worthwhileness [25].…”

“…Aside from the mobility and customer aspects of the ride-sourcing industry, ridesourcing drivers' experiences have begun to gain attention among researchers in the past years [18,25,26]. The industry has grown dramatically over the past decade all over the world.…”

“…Bearing this in mind, scheduling flexibility plays the most pivotal role in motivating ride-sourcing drivers in different countries for them to perceive their occupation as a satisfying job [18,25,26]. It is noteworthy that flexibility has been recognized as an exceptionally valuable attribute among the workers: a previous study found that an average worker is willing to pay up to 20 per cent of their salary in exchange for work with no short notice scheduled and 8 per cent for working from home [30].…”