“I still remember the day I left my hometown, Hanamkonda. I didn’t have much with me, just the responsibility of three kids and the hope that Hyderabad would give me a chance.

In the beginning, life was all about cab driving. Those years behind the wheel were tough. Every day was about going for a pickup in a rental car and somehow managing to earn enough. Sometimes, it felt like the city was moving ahead, and I was just watching it pass by from inside that car. During my free time, while waiting for a booking, I’d sit and think about the future.
But today, things are different. Today, I am my own boss. I bought this heavy-duty goods carrier auto with a ₹3.75 lakh investment from my own hard-earned money. That decision changed my life. Moving from a cab to this was my turning point.

Now, with apps like Porter, work comes to me. The phone rings, and I go where I’m needed. Some days, I carry bikes, some days furniture, and some days full household goods. Every trip is different, but every trip matters. It feels good to know that I’m building something of my own. This work is not easy; it needs full concentration. I have to carefully lift, arrange, and tie every item so it reaches safely. People trust me with their belongings, and I can’t take that lightly.
There are many hardships—long hours, heavy lifting, and the pressure that no work means no income. Summers are the hardest. In April and May, the heat on the roads is unbearable. But I keep going by hydrating myself with coconut water and watermelon from time to time. While I’m waiting for my next booking, I play A.R. Rahman music to stay charged. In this work, honesty and punctuality are everything. If you lose that, you lose your name, your ratings, and your bookings.

I do miss the old days, sitting in an Irani café with friends over chai and Osmania biscuits. Life was simple then. Now it’s all about responsibility. But when I go home and see my children, all the tiredness goes away. I have one dream: I want to see my daughters in big positions when they grow up. This struggle is a promise I’ve made for their future.”

— Mohammed Rahamath