The working conditions of motorcycle taxi drivers in Tlahuac, Mexico City

This study seeks to describe the health and working conditions of motorcycle taxi drivers in the Tlahuac district (delegacion) of Mexico City. It proceeds from the premise that a study of the labor process and its social organization make it possible to understand how workers live and think, and how the structures and systems that sustain their labor are maintained. To do so, we must explore the activities, risks, and demands that workers face and examine the relationship of these factors to their health. Workers were given a descriptive, exploratory questionnaire seeking data about them and their family and work environments. The questions related to their health, their job satisfaction, the operation of the taxi service, and their personal satisfaction, including satisfaction with their leisure time. The results reveal precarious working conditions, long hours (11.3 h a day), low wages (US$59.18 per week), and no social protections or benefits. 6.3% reported suffering from a disease, 49.5% corresponded to musculoskeletal conditions and only 11.6% were affiliated to any health system. 53.8% are owners of the vehicle and, although it does not seem to influence physical illness (P= 0.03), it is related to the psychosocial ones (P= 0.260). The group did show a lower frequency of traffic accidents than other transportation workers (17.9%, versus 45.4% for drivers of taxis and microbuses). However, it can be inferred from these characteristics that there is a relationship among their standard of living (as measured by salary), their working conditions (physical wear and tear), and the state of their health. The precarious material conditions of the drivers' lives makes it difficult to reproduce their labor power and their plans in life, and these conditions determine their quality of life and work.