Hyderabad is facing a severe shortage of drivers. Ever since the new airport was started last year, there has been a very large addition of taxi services ferrying passengers from the city to the airport. As a result, office going executives and families are finding it very difficult to find and retain drivers for their cars even at higher than average salaries.
Demand is more than supply and I am sure that the situation is similar in other cities like Bangalore. The best and the more experienced drivers have all been gobbled up by the taxi services and hotel transport services leaving the inexperienced or ones pretending to be drivers to provide their services to executives and families.
If we see the situation from a different perspective, this could turn out to be a very big opportunity for the unemployed youth of the cities. People are desperate for drivers and would be willing to pay top dollar for someone reliable. And all that you need is a driving license. I see opportunity for unemployed people to take up driving as a vocation, I see opportunity for people to start driving schools and I see opportunities for micro-finance companies to finance the training costs of a driving course.
This was envisioned by one of the foremost thinkers on inclusive finance that we have in the country – several years ago. All that we now need to do is to give legs to this business opportunity.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
This is akin to the shortage of maids !! There are some economists who think that the trickle down effect will begin this way.. Whichever way, I will happy if more people move into the ranks of the employed and fewer families starve.
PS: I am glad I drive my own car :-)
Post a Comment