Since the start of 2019, Pathao has been welcoming physically impaired riders to work in the company. The movement has started a major change – especially in the field of equality. In a sense, this movement is a change in the perspectives of people, socially and economically.
There are currently few differently-abled riders working in Pathao, and the company is planning to recruit more. At first, 7 riders listed their name. Asheem Man Singh Basnyat, the regional director of the company, said, “Pathao does not differentiate between the normal riders and the differently able riders, [these] riders [also] go through the same validation process as the normal [ones].”
However, there are numerous incidents when the passengers declined to share a ride with them. Pathao riders claim that they get declined just because of their outlook. Although their work is the same, people insist on traveling with them. Further, as a response, the company has not opened its mouth yet.
‘Educated’ Ones Treat Pathao Riders Unequally
Shova Shrestha, a differently-abled rider, is working for Pathao before the Covid-19 lockdown. Although her full-time work is in an office near Chakrapath, she works in the ride-sharing company as a part-time rider. Shova joined for arranging some extra earnings to manage the petrol and household expenses. Usually, she picks up pillions while going to and returning from her office.
Shrestha says she has faced uncountable incidents of inequality while working with the company. In the first incident, Shova remembers, she was going to her office, and she saw a notification on her phone. Instantly, she went to pick up her passengers. There were two of them (a child and a woman) who wanted to go to Kanti Hospital; however, after seeing the ride, the woman insisted on traveling, she hesitated to talk with Shova. And after few minutes, the woman’s son said, “This scooter is different; my mother has denied traveling.” After this, Shrestha was forced to cancel the request and return empty-handed.
Similarly, Punam Mishra, 52, also works as a part-timer. Recently, he got popular because after interviewing with BBC Nepali. The story of Punam is really inspiring for everyone. Despite being a polio victim, he does hard work in his small shop and works as a rider to treat his son, who is suffering from cancer.
He says, “Everyone has sorrow and sufferings, this is a truth, we cannot change this, that’s why we have to adjust and learn to live.” Punam adds many times; he felt humiliated working as a Pathao rider. Sometimes, people do not travel with him after seeing his appearance.
“We meet both types of people, who are inspired by us and who inspire us. Some say that seeing a four-wheeled scooter can be a daunting task; most of them are well-educated and well-off people.”
It is not only the outcry of Punam Mishra, in fact, it is the agony of every differently-abled Pathao rider.
Not Everyone Is The Same
The riders explain, there are a majority of good passengers. They take an example of their effort to inspire others. Some people also want to travel with them regularly after being happy with their service.
Riders like Punam and Shova want their company to change the policy of commission. They say the earning is currently not enough to secure their future. They want to include more people like them. Working in Pathao has given them a lot of opportunities to meet different types of people. Even though some are bad, not everyone is the same.
Read this: Pathao Nepal Riders Rage Against The Company’s Hawkish Policies
