BHPian DeepeshKarnik recently shared this with other enthusiasts: Hi TeamBHPians, My best friend was laid-off last year in Oct ’24 and has been job hunting ever since. With 15+ years of experience in the same organisation, growing through the ranks, he was confident and motivated about it all, dedicatedly searching and applying for roles that fit his skills and experience. This past weekend, he expressed that he’s lost all hopes and is giving up on the job hunting. He enrolled himself with Rapido Bike and is doing that currently. I want to help him setup something of his own, which can bring a stable income for the family and that he also enjoys doing. Both of us are passionate about cars so I proposed to him about getting into the car-for-hire business. We explored pre-owned car websites and contemplated buying a commercially registered, pre-owned Toyota Innova and take bookings between IGI T3 and Jalandhar/Chandigarh (easiest route for rookies in this line of business) It all looked very practical and doable when we discussed it, but I realised we may not know the ground realities and how to actually begin. So, last night I took him to the IGI Airport and explored a bit. What I wanted to do really was, speak to the drivers who were there, either picking up or dropping off their guests from various cities of Punjab. My friend with roots from Jalandhar, spoke to a few drivers about how much they charge, what are the most busy routes and approach for this service. I really appreciate the community because all of them had very motivating feedback on our plan and said we should go for it, but unfortunately they did not have enough time because they had guests waiting. Overall, the conversations were helpful and did give us an idea of how it all works. If there is any Team BHPian who is/was in this line of business directly/indirectly and can guide us around permits, licenses, pros, cons, challenges, how to begin, any contacts etc, please know your time and knowledge may go a long way in shaping somebody’s future and I’ll be immensely grateful. TIA from a friend indeed of a friend in need Here’s what BHPian ninjatalli replied: Tough spot to be in but good to see you guys making efforts in alternate career(s). Nothing I can add personally but I remember seeing a bunch of threads over recent years on the forum from BHPians in this line of business like this and this. While others take their time to respond, it might be good to do a bit of searching on the forum and reach out to specific bhpians who have showcased interest or involvement in this space. Here’s what BHPian McLaren Rulez replied:Why not drive for Uber/Ola first to learn the ropes before setting up your own business? It might not be much but it will provide a basic income and give your friend much needed room to breathe and evaluate his options without pressure.Here’s what BHPian kushagra452 replied:It is indeed a very tough job market. Especially for those with 15+ years of work ex and ‘high CTC’. There are very few openings. I have dreading this scenario for sometime now. I know for a fact that it will indeed be an uphill task to find full time work after a lay off. Trying to build alternate streams of income in anticipation of that fateful day. Post his brief background on the relevant Team BHP forum. There is a possibility that he might be able to find leads. I would love to hear from other Team BHPians about handling this very scenario. How are you planning your career moves? Have you planned for any unanticipated lay offs? If yes, how? Thanks.Here’s what BHPian blackwasp replied:Hi, I’m not aware of the market in North India, but let me tell you, it is TOUGH. For starters, your plan must account for the expansion strategy. You can’t be just driving a car and expecting decent income. For a start, yes, you can commence operations with the owner-driver model, but eventually you will need a fleet of vehicles and drivers to make a decent income. These days, there is an abundance of vehicles in the market, which keeps rates low. As an examples, in 2016, I used to rent out my WagonR at Rs. 10-12 per km. Today I rent out the latest WagonR at Rs. 12-14 per km. CNG price has gone up from Rs. 35-40 per kg to Rs. 80 per kg. Driver salaries and other expenses have gone up too. You must offer some differentiation than others in the market – eg. live CCTV, trained drivers (not just in namesake, but from a reputed organisation), bottled water / newspapers, etc. Get in touch with local cab operators and see if they can give you B2B rate. Eg. you get a customer at Rs. 14 per km and they will bill you at Rs. 12. This way, you can start without any investment. Try this and see if you can get enough bookings for 3-4 days in a week. Only after that get into buying your own vehicle. If you have any specific questions, I’m happy to answer them for you.Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
