Labour Day spotlight: The hidden struggles of e-hailing drivers
While many spend their days in air-conditioned offices, e-hailing drivers navigate congested roads, unpredictable weather and long waiting periods between rides.
NATASYA AZHARI
SHAH ALAM - As Malaysians mark Labour Day, thousands of e-hailing drivers remain on the road, working through fatigue and uncertainty, a reality often hidden behind the convenience passengers enjoy at their fingertips.
While many spend their days in air-conditioned offices, e-hailing drivers navigate congested roads, unpredictable weather and long waiting periods between rides.
Their workplace is not confined to four walls but constantly shifts across city streets, where income depends on demand that can rise and fall without warning.
In conjunction with Labour Day, we talked to several e-hailing drivers to better understand their lived experiences and what it means to earn a living behind the wheel, revealing the often overlooked struggles behind a service many rely on daily.
One of the drivers we spoke to, Siti Anizah Ibrahim, juggles two jobs to make ends meet, working as a clerk by day and driving at night, often until midnight after caring for her children.
Like many drivers, she faces constant uncertainty.
“The main challenge is the unpredictability in bookings, fare rates and passenger behaviour. Some days are very busy, while others are slow,” she said.
Fluctuating demand directly affects her income, sometimes forcing her to extend her hours just to meet daily needs, while traffic, bad weather and difficult passengers can easily disrupt her routine.
Still, the emotional toll weighs heaviest, as long hours mean less time with her children.
For Anizah, Labour Day is more than just a public holiday but a tribute to “family warriors”.
“It symbolises my strength as a single mother working two jobs to provide for my children,” she said.
Another driver, Rafiq, treats e-hailing as a full-time profession, planning his day around peak hours and demand patterns to maximise earnings.
While he said it is possible to earn a high monthly income, he stressed that it comes at the cost of long hours, discipline and constant movement.
Despite this, he maintains clear boundaries between work and family life to avoid being consumed by time on the road.
“It is not just about resting. It’s about being seen, being respected and remembering that every job has value,” he said.
For Abdul Ghani Abdullah, an inDrive driver, the day begins long before sunrise, often as early as 5am, ferrying passengers ranging from schoolchildren to office workers and patients.
“The biggest challenge is arriving on time and beating traffic to reach passengers and their destinations,” he said.
He added that peak-hour congestion, bad weather, low fares and last-minute cancellations all add pressure to his daily work.
Still, he remains grateful for what he earns.
“Alhamdulillah, for now it’s fine. Just nice for a small family, as long as I stay in good shape and energetic,” he said.
For drivers like them, Labour Day is a reminder that behind every ride is a worker navigating uncertainty, sacrifice and the constant demand to keep moving.
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