The job of public transport, ride-hailing and delivery drivers: conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic and implications for a post-pandemic future

Abstract

Transport workers were among the most affected by the COVID-19 crisis. In several countries, public transport and delivery drivers were considered essential workers, and the demand changed dramatically. In this paper, we analyse the impact of the pandemic on the daily jobs of public transport, ride-hailing, and delivery app drivers through a survey applied during the first peak of the pandemic in Santiago, Chile. Probit regressions on job satisfaction identify the main COVID-related experiences that explain variations in subjective perceptions. Our results show that the unstable characteristics of app-based jobs sharpened during the pandemic: Public transport drivers have kept their jobs and with a similar income, whereas ride-hailing and delivery app drivers do not as they lack social security. Several ride-hailing drivers lost their jobs without any compensation, while delivery drivers earn less money per hour and are more exhausted.