On the eve of the date announced by Uber and 99 to resume the motorcycle taxi service in the city of São Paulo, motorcycle couriers are torn between the possibility of increasing their income and the risks linked to the activity. The companies announced at the end of November that they planned to operate from next Thursday (11/12), one day after the end of the deadline set for regulation.
The project regulating the activity was voted on last Thursday (4/12) in the Chamber and, now, this Monday (8/12), it will be submitted again to the councilors.
“I don’t intend to do it, it’s not worth it, it’s not worth it. Because of the consumption of the motorcycle, the damage it causes, the maintenance is entirely up to us,” says Vinícius Rodrigues, 26 years old. The motorcycle courier also cites another factor that could complicate traffic in the city.
“It’s dangerous to drive. It depends not only on the driver, but also on the passenger. It’s not like a car. You have to know how to drive, otherwise you end up getting in the way,” he says.
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Luiz Henrique Rebeque, 33, even transported passengers on his motorcycle earlier this year, during an initial corporate foray. He says he is interested in resuming this week and is weighing the risks.
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“The risk is just leaving the house on a motorbike, but with caution we can manage it,” he says. For the motorcycle courier, the advantage is that time is not wasted like in food delivery, where he is forced to wait for the food to be released by the restaurants and for the customer to arrive at the entrance of the building. “Everywhere we go, it rings. The passenger is already on the track, it’s more practical,” he says.
Hazard
Motogirl Jeniffer de Oliveira Batista, 39, says the risks aren’t worth it. “I think São Paulo is very dangerous to take a motorcycle taxi, especially in this region (Paulista, where I was). People don’t pay attention to it, they use their cell phones all the time. I think it’s a very big risk, both for the driver and the passenger,” he says.
Despite this, Jeniffer says many colleagues intend to do so. “Because it’s a livelihood. But I think it’s too risky.”
Motorcycle courier Leandro dos Santos Silva, 33, says that if the service is allowed, he will return to work in passenger transport. To make the activity safer, he says that I must count on the help of the person who will take the passenger seat. “You have to communicate with the passenger, so that he remains well aligned with the motorcycle to avoid accidents,” he explains.
Silva intends to take the motorcycle taxi, even if he has a bag to deliver. “Empty, you can fold it, it’s flexible and you can take the passenger with you. You can’t take it with the product inside,” he explains.
Care
The Motoboys also highlight the precautions to take when taking a motorcycle taxi. An often overlooked detail is the load capacity of motorcycles.
“Motorcycles have a weight limit. There are 100-cylinder motorcycles that have a weight limit of 120 kg to 130 kg. I have seen a lot of motorcycles transporting people and with excessive weight. We lose braking, safety and balance of the motorcycle. It’s worrying for us,” says Halan Lanzoni, 42, who even transported passengers. He emphasizes that this is not a prejudice, but a question of security.
Atila Osman, 35, says having an antenna is essential to avoid accidents with kite lines. “A lot of people think it’s ugly, right? But it saves lives,” he says. “I had an accident two years ago and I didn’t have an antenna. The wire reached my neck and caused damage,” he says. Osman bears deep scars from the day he was shot.
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