Bradford, February 2024 \u2014 As night falls over Bradford, the familiar sight of taxis lining the city centre becomes part of the evening rhythm. Many of the drivers behind the wheel are Pakistani men who have spent decades working long hours, often unseen, to keep the city moving. Their stories speak not only of hard work but also of family responsibilities, safety concerns, and the bonds that tie a community together.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis job pays the bills, but it is not easy,\u201d said Javed, who has been driving in Bradford for more than 15 years. \u201cWe leave home before sunrise, come back past midnight. The children are asleep when I leave, asleep when I return. Sometimes it feels like life is only work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Long Hours, Little Rest<\/p>\n
For many drivers, long shifts are the only way to make ends meet. Rising fuel costs, insurance fees, and competition from ride-hailing apps have squeezed margins. \u201cWhen I started, 10 hours was enough,\u201d explained Rashid, a driver in his 40s. \u201cNow even 14 hours is not enough. We are always chasing the next fare.\u201d<\/p>\n
Family life often suffers. \u201cMy wife says I don\u2019t see the children growing up,\u201d Javed admitted. \u201cShe is right. But if I don\u2019t drive these hours, how do we pay rent, bills, school costs? It is a sacrifice we all make.\u201d<\/p>\n
Safety Concerns on the Road<\/p>\n
Alongside financial strain, safety is a constant concern. \u201cNight shifts are dangerous,\u201d said Shahid, who usually drives weekends. \u201cSometimes passengers are drunk and abusive. I\u2019ve had people run off without paying. Once, someone threatened me with a bottle. It makes you think twice before taking certain jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drivers said they often depend on each other for support. \u201cWe share WhatsApp groups to warn each other if there is trouble in an area,\u201d Rashid explained. \u201cIf someone is stuck, another driver will come. We have to look out for each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Community Ties and Responsibility<\/p>\n
Despite hardships, many drivers see their work as part of a broader community role. \u201cWe are not just drivers, we are like an informal network,\u201d said Ahmed, who has been in the trade since the 1990s. \u201cWe take children to school, we drive elderly people to the doctor, we help families with shopping. People trust us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some drivers also quietly provide support to struggling families. \u201cSometimes a regular customer doesn\u2019t have money,\u201d Shahid admitted. \u201cWe still drop them home. Next week they pay. It\u2019s about trust and dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Younger Generation Reluctance<\/p>\n
While taxi driving provided stability for earlier generations, younger Pakistanis are less inclined to join the trade. \u201cMy son says he doesn\u2019t want this life,\u201d Ahmed said. \u201cHe is studying IT. He tells me, \u2018Baba, you worked nights for 30 years, I don\u2019t want that.\u2019 And I agree with him. We want better for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yet some young people still help part-time. \u201cI drive evenings after college,\u201d said Bilal, 21. \u201cIt gives me money for studies. But I don\u2019t see it as a long-term career. Too much stress, too little respect.\u201d<\/p>\n
Coping with Changes in the Industry<\/p>\n
The arrival of ride-hailing apps has changed the landscape. \u201cUber took many customers,\u201d Javed explained. \u201cBut our regulars still prefer local firms. They know us, we know them. That relationship is important.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the same time, regulations and costs have increased. \u201cInsurance for drivers under 30 is so high, they can\u2019t start,\u201d Rashid said. \u201cThat\u2019s why most drivers now are older.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hope and Pride<\/p>\n
Despite the challenges, pride in the profession remains. \u201cWhen I came to Bradford from Pakistan, driving a taxi was honest work,\u201d Ahmed recalled. \u201cWe built houses, educated our children, sent money back home. This steering wheel gave us everything. We should not forget that.\u201d<\/p>\n
For many, hope lies in the next generation. \u201cWe want our children to study, to have better jobs, to have time with their families,\u201d Javed said. \u201cOur sacrifices will mean something if they live better lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
As taxis continue to weave through Bradford\u2019s streets late into the night, the drivers carry not just passengers but the weight of entire households \u2014 a responsibility borne with quiet resilience.<\/p>\n
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Bradford, February 2024 \u2014 As night falls over Bradford, the familiar sight of taxis lining the city centre becomes part of the evening rhythm. Many of the drivers behind the wheel are Pakistani men who have spent decades working long hours, often unseen, to keep the city moving. Their stories speak not only of hard …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56813","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sci-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tehqiqnama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56813","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tehqiqnama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tehqiqnama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tehqiqnama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tehqiqnama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56813"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.tehqiqnama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56813\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56814,"href":"https:\/\/www.tehqiqnama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56813\/revisions\/56814"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tehqiqnama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tehqiqnama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56813"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tehqiqnama.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}