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Rider chose to work most of the time after ten o’clock at night. Rapido offers a 20% incentive for rides between 10 pm and 6 am, making late night slots more profitable than daytime hours.
Over four days, they rode mainly at night, sometimes starting in the evening and continuing until midnight. Image:
It started as a simple experiment. A resident of Bengaluru, who was curious about the buzz around gig work, decided to spend a few late nights riding a Rapido to see if the money really matched the hype. He wasn’t thinking about changing careers or becoming a full-time rider. He just wanted to know if a few extra hours after work could really make a difference to his monthly finances.
Four days later, he had more than an answer. They had the numbers, the experience, and a reality check that soon went viral on Reddit, sparking a broader conversation about part-time work in the city.
Why did they choose Rapido and Night Shift?
Rider chose to work most of the time after ten o’clock at night. The reason was practical. Rapido offers a twenty percent incentive for rides between ten pm and six am, making late night slots more profitable than daytime hours.
Another detail that caught attention was his claim that Rapido was not charging any commission on rides at the time. Although he admitted he was unsure whether this was permanent or linked to regulatory issues around bike taxis, the zero-commission factor clearly boosted his take-home earnings.
The goal was simple for him. Test whether a few hours on the road can really translate into meaningful extra income.
how did the four days pass
Over four days, they rode mainly at night, sometimes starting in the evening and continuing until midnight.
On the first day, he worked from 6:30 pm to 9 pm and earned Rs 170. Later, between 11 pm and 1.30 am, he earned another Rs 460. His total earning for about five hours of riding was Rs 630.
On the second day he remained online for about five hours and earned Rs 750.
On the third and fourth days, he rode for about three to four hours every night and earned Rs 420 on both the days. He said these days were a little slower, with fewer ride requests than previous shifts.
By the end of the fourth day, he had enough data to calculate what part-time riding really meant in practice.
last number
Over four days, Ryder completed a total of seventeen work hours. His gross earning was Rs 2220. From this he deducted fuel expenses of about Rs 400. This gave him a net profit of Rs 1820 for the entire period.
In simple words, after accounting for petrol, he used to earn a little more than Rs 100 per hour. To some readers, this seemed trivial. For others, especially those struggling with stagnant wages and rising living costs, it felt like a useful safety net.
When the Internet joined the debate
The Reddit post was quickly filled with comments from people living similar double lives.
A user told that he works in an IT firm from 2 pm to 10 pm and earns Rs 24000 a month. After his shift, he rides Rapido from 10 pm to 6 am. According to him, the money he earns on the bike often matches or even exceeds the money he earns at his desk job.
Stories like this take the conversation beyond one person’s experience. They raise bigger questions about whether flexible gig work is gradually becoming more attractive than low-paid formal jobs, especially for younger workers.
Who likes this kind of work best
The Bengaluru-based rider ended his post with a strong conclusion. Rapido and similar platforms may not be perfect, but they work well for students, people from economically weaker backgrounds and people who spend their free time late at night.
Low traffic, high incentives and the freedom to log in and out without long-term commitment makes gig riding easy for studies or a regular job.
Also he did not make it romantic. Long working hours, physical stress and rising fuel costs remain real challenges. This is not easy money. But for many people, it’s better than having no extra income at all.
A glimpse of Bengaluru’s changing workforce
This four-day experiment marks a major change in the work culture of the city.
Bengaluru is no longer a place where a job defines a person’s identity. Today, the same person can be a software employee during the day and a bike captain at night.
The story of this part-time Rapido rider is not just about earning. It’s about how people are piecing together their livelihoods in a city where ambitions often move faster than pay cheques.
And on those late-night trips through quiet streets and flashing phone screens, many people are looking not only for fares, but a new way to make a living.
09 January, 2026, 06:29 IST
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