Getting used to steering wheel and applying
Taking advantage of the opportunity to lie on his back under a tree near Cau Giay Park (Hanoi), Mr. Nguyen Duc Cuong (27 years old, from Nam Dinh) waited for a new ticket from the car calling app on his phone.
Graduated from a college majoring in Accounting in 2019 but could not find a job in the right profession, Mr. Cuong decided to change direction to become a technology motorbike taxi driver. "At first, I only thought of working temporarily to earn an income, but I thought I would stick with the job until now. Although his job is unstable, he at least has money to earn to take care of his wife and children in the countryside, he shared.
A motorbike and a smartphone have become his main tools for work. Each order, each trip is only from a few thousand to a few tens of thousands of VND, but saving small to large, that is the only source of income that helps him cover his living expenses.
"Every day I have to run for 10 to 12 hours to cover my expenses. There are days when it rains to the point of a diaper or the sun is 3940 degrees Celsius, so I have to try to run. If I stop, my income will be gone," Mr. Cuong added.
According to Mr. Cuong, the average income per day ranges from 250,000 to 400,000 VND. After deducting the cost of gasoline and food, he left about 200,000 VND - an amount of money that, although not abundant, was enough to handle.
"Many technology motorbike taxi drivers like me are also quietly making a living in conditions of lack of social security, no insurance, no rest, and illness. It will be very difficult for me to get sick," said Mr. Cuong.
Social security support
Lawyer Chau Duy Nguyen - An Dang Law Office (under the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association) - said: currently, freelance workers such as technology drivers can participate in voluntary social insurance (SI). This is a humane policy of the Party and State, aiming to ensure long-term benefits for workers without formal labor relations.
"voluntary social insurance has a flexible payment method, the payment level is suitable for the financial capacity of each individual. Participants can adjust the contribution level from low to high, or temporarily stop paying when encountering difficulties, but still reserve the paid time to add it later, lawyer Nguyen analyzed.
According to Lawyer Nguyen, when participating in voluntary social insurance, employees will receive pensions when they are eligible, helping to reduce the burden of life in old age, and at the same time being granted free health insurance cards for health care. In case the participant dies, relatives will receive death benefits according to regulations.
Article 5 of Decree 159/2025 of the Government stipulates that poor households and people living in island communes and special zones will receive 50% state support at the contribution level, near-poor households will receive 40% support, ethnic minorities will receive 30% support at the contribution level, and other subjects will receive 20% support. This is a practical source of support, helping workers freely access the social security system in a sustainable and proactive way.
"voluntary social insurance is not for profit, but a sustainable and long-term social security policy. Participating not only helps workers protect their own rights, but also contributes to future social stability, emphasized lawyer Chau Duy Nguyen.
