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Food Delivery drivers play a vital role in today’s fast-paced, on-demand economy. They are the ones responsible for getting your food, packages, and other items to you in a timely and efficient manner. However, despite the convenience that delivery drivers provide to customers, they face a variety of challenges that can make their job difficult and stressful. 

Long Working Hours in Extreme Weather

Delivery drivers face the daunting challenge of working long hours, often pushing beyond the limits of the traditional workweek. With demand surging at all hours, these workers frequently find themselves pulling evening, weekend, and even holiday shifts. In addition to navigating through heavy traffic, drivers must grapple with delays and increased fatigue, impeding their ability to complete tasks promptly. Typically, delivery drivers are expected to clock in at least 10-hour shifts for six days straight.

Careless Customers

 Delivery drivers often face the frustration of receiving incomplete or incorrect delivery addresses, encountering switched-off mobile phones, or dealing with customers who remain unresponsive while on the phone. Such issues result in unnecessary delays, with drivers forced to wait without compensation. Unfortunately, some customers seem unaware that drivers’ time is valuable, and such disregard only compounds the already difficult and low-paying job of food delivery drivers

Takeaways Business Strategy

Takeaway establishments tend to prioritize in-store customers, often to the detriment of online customers who may pay up to 30% more for their orders. This business strategy creates a nightmare for food delivery drivers, who may be forced to wait for up to 30 minutes without any extra compensation. If drivers request that the restaurant prepare the food, they may be met with a dismissive response, such as being asked to cancel the order and leave. Such unprofessional behavior can lead to heated arguments, as drivers have already traveled a considerable distance to pick up the food and lose valuable time in the process. Unfortunately, the drivers are the ones who pay the price for this ruthless business strategy. Moreover, I have witnessed instances where food delivery drivers’ accounts were suspended simply because they requested that the restaurant prepare the food promptly after waiting for a fair amount of time at the reception. Unfortunately, food delivery companies often fail to listen to their drivers’ concerns and instead take the restaurant staff’s stance as righteous. This further highlights the vulnerability of food delivery drivers who are subjected to the whims of restaurant businesses with little to no support from their employers

Zero Holiday and Sick Leave Benefits

 Food delivery drivers are not entitled to any holiday or sick leave benefits, with some companies claiming otherwise, but offering a compensation scheme that falls far short of what is required. Despite UK courts having already ordered that holiday and sick leave pay be given to drivers, most companies refuse to comply with these orders. This is largely due to a lack of government interest in regulating the gig economy and treating gig workers as employees, as the courts have made clear. Unfortunately, this leaves food delivery drivers in a precarious position, with no guarantee of paid time off, even when they fall ill or need to take a break.

Low Fees:

In reality, it is the food delivery drivers who are the backbone of the gig economy, investing in their own phones and vehicles to provide this essential service. Sadly, in times of rising inflation, being a food delivery driver has become a job where income decreases day by day. Drivers are paid meager fees for their services and receive no compensation for expenses like gas, tolls, and vehicle maintenance. This makes it challenging for drivers to earn a living wage and support themselves and their families, despite the crucial role they play in the food delivery industry.

Conclusion

In conclusion, delivery drivers play a vital role in today’s economy, but they face a variety of challenges that can make their job difficult and stressful. It’s important for customers and employers to be more understanding of the difficulties that delivery drivers face and to work towards improving their working conditions. This includes ensuring fair investigations before suspension of any driver account, providing paid holidays and sick leaves to the drivers, and paying them a fair wage for their services.