Tempo, truck, and Tech.

Research: Understanding the nature of the work of informal intracity logistics workers.

Background

Platforms have digitized many pre-existing urban services. Companies like Pikkol, Porter, Lynk, Trukky aim to aggregate light trucks to allow businesses and customers to hire trucks and tempos on demand for their intra-city pickup and delivery needs.

The tempo truck is visually synonymous with city roads and has been a source of urban livelihood for many decades. Yet there is little-written literature on the state of employment, nature of work, terms, and conditions of work within this sector since its largely informal nature has been taken for granted.

This research study proposes to investigate the nature of Bangalore’s offline and online intra-city tempo truck industry. Also, the impact of tech platforms on the pre-existing working conditions within the intra-city truck sector; look at how virtual marketplaces on apps impact sectors like this that are deeply embedded in neighbourhood and city spaces.

Insights as an Interactive Choice Game:

The Research Case Study was published as an interactive report in choice game format for ease of consumption across platforms. Have a look:

Keywords:
Nature of work, Platform Economy, Inta-city Logistics, Informal Labour & Spatial Algorithms.

This is a confidential work in progress, Do get in touch if you are interested to know more…