In Bengaluru, a city notorious for its traffic snarls, one Infosys employee has found an unconventional way to stay productive during his free hours—by moonlighting as a bike taxi rider.
The story was shared by Bengaluru resident Chaarmika Nagalla on LinkedIn, where she recounted her commute experience. On her way to work, she hailed a bike taxi to beat the traffic. When the rider arrived and greeted her with a corporate-style “Am I audible?”, her curiosity was piqued.
The rider, she discovered, was a full-time Infosys employee working in the contract management team. This was his first day moonlighting as a bike taxi rider—not because he needed extra money, but because he wanted to use his mornings and weekends productively instead of scrolling through social media.
Chaarmika’s post resonated with many, sparking a larger conversation about Bengaluru’s evolving gig economy. More than just a financial side hustle, these part-time gigs are increasingly seen as opportunities for connection, purpose, and a break from routine.
This wasn’t an isolated incident. The very next day, Chaarmika had a similar experience with an Uber rider who, it turned out, was also a full-time employee at a B2B event management firm. His reason for driving part-time? He wanted to avoid riding home alone and engage in some human interaction.
Such stories reflect a growing trend of professionals stepping into the gig economy—not out of necessity but to escape solitude and create meaningful connections. In the comments of Chaarmika’s post, others shared similar experiences, including one where a rider turned out to be a colleague driving part-time to combat loneliness.
A recent example also mirrored this trend, with a Microsoft employee in Bengaluru choosing to drive an auto-rickshaw on weekends—not for extra income, but to meet new people and combat feelings of isolation.
This phenomenon sheds light on the emotional and social benefits of participating in the gig economy—where it’s not just about the money but about fulfilling personal needs for connection and productivity.