'Silent riders' thrive, show resilience in digital era

Zhao Lei, 38, has a hearing impairment and has worked as a ride-hailing driver for five years. When passengers book a ride, the app notifies them before they call Zhao, encouraging them to switch to text-based communication.

As a driver with a hearing impairment who is registered on DiDi, a major ride-hailing platform in China, Zhao said in sign language that the job provides him with a stable income and allows him to make ends meet.

Beyond ride-hailing services, people with hearing difficulties are also finding new opportunities in China's on-demand delivery sector."Without delivery jobs, most people with hearing impairments could only work in factories," said Sun Jingjing, a 34-year-old delivery worker for Meituan in Shanghai, an on-demand service platform.

Although challenges remain, improvements in speech-to-text functions and AI communication tools are opening new possibilities. For this "silent" group, the app-based service economy is creating new horizons.