‘I’m now delivering 320 parcels a day’: The pressure of Amazon delivery targets - BBC Newsnight

Amazon is one of the most valuable public companies in the world, and the pandemic has boosted its profits even further.

But what about the people who deliver your Amazon parcel?

Delivery drivers have told Newsnight demand during the pandemic has meant they are delivering up to 75% more parcels a day with no extra pay.

They reported no bathroom breaks, being on shift for over 10 hours a day and feeling pressure to drive unsafely in order to keep up with targets monitored by an app.

Is our convenience worth the price?

Newsnight’s Policy Editor Lewis Goodall reports.

A spokesperson from Amazon told BBC Newsnight: “At Amazon, we’re proud to go further than most to ensure drivers are supported in their role. Our sophisticated guidance technology plans delivery routes, advises when to take a break, and ensures that drivers aren’t receiving and driving with too many packages.”

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[mr.nobody]

A poor young lad just died a few weeks ago, he was a a delivery driver for Amazon. The stress and the pressure made him to be smashed by another car when he was trying to deliver parcels. Nobody talks about that.

[michaelfrench]

If you work at amazon, vote yes on the union!! If you want to know just how much power it would give employees, look at how scared the richest man in the WORLD is off a unionized work force!!! He might have to pay a living wage and treat employees like human beings.

[crystalcars]

I can vouch for this. I’m ex Amazon agency supervisor where I managed a team. Everything is impossible and you put safety and your licence at risk everyday. I’ve had to do double routes as drivers drop out and it’s impossible.
I’ve personally had two meltdowns because of health and expectations. Money doesn’t care about people and Amazon has a lot of money.

[iona]

I feel awful now for shopping with Amazon. I feel like I should leave them a tip or a little respite, just something. I'm not really under pressure to get ASAP shipping I'd rather people put their health first. My items can and should always come second.

[enriqueortiz]

I drove for Amazon and yes I had to pee in a bottle everyday.

[mickyarams]

I actually do home delivery for Amazon and I can tell you if you get 250 parcels you are having an easy day. In our depo we get 300 plus parcels around 200 stops. No time for breaks, we are driving 12 hours straight without any break because you get punished by your dsp if you bring back any parcels. Amazon are taking advantage of the pandemic because many people have lost their full time jobs just like me and they have thousands of people desperate for work. I am leaving that God forsaken job at the first opportunity I get, it's horrible and it hurts to know the owner is one of the richest men in the world and treats the little guys that makes him his money like 5h!t.

[paulhoskin]

Now you know why Amazon makes so much money

[musiclife]

I worked delivery for Amazon. It the most knackering stressful job I’ve ever had by miles. I only lasted a week

[brendangray]

Terminating amazon prime in a minute. Thanks 🙏

[mustafaalwaheed]

I recently left Amazon for these very same reasons. I was afraid I'd lose my mind had I stayed.

[jacek]

I don't shop at Amazon, i don't want to promote that type of working conditions. Our fathers and mother's fought for workers rights, supporting Amazon is like going 100 years back. Amazon keeps amazing me with their big brother tactics.

[brookestephens]

Ain't this the truth! If you follow the GPS in Wales, your end up in the middle of a farmer's field, it's a nightmare.

[Mike-ehku]

We had a driver start working with us in the Leyland depot. After his 2 day training and on his first day delivering his own route he started receiving those updates via text, he was so far behind on his delivery's he was close to the bottom of a list of around 50 drivers. He must of been stressed by this so started to pick up the pace and must of been running between deliveries or something and had a heart attack in the middle of the road, paramedics arrived at the scene and pronounced him dead.

This happened during the pandemic around June or July. We even started a go fund me page to help is family out. Very sad

[Mike_]

There is probably a Delivery Manager in Amazon trying to to sack this driver right now for only delivering 320 parcels ...

[quendelf]

I am a huge prime user on Amazon... I order probably 2-3 times per week. I just cancelled my membership and will not be using Amazon anymore. Knowing this information, I don’t care how convenient it is.

[jameshumphries]

I see my poor postman walk up the street everyday for the last year! He looks like death and through this whole pandemic all we hear about is care workers, bin men, supermarket workers but not ONCE do we hear about the postman. I talk to my postman and he’s reluctant to tell me what’s going on but the workload they have is unbelievable! Not only do they have 100’s of parcels they’ve got 14 miles have heavy walking to do as well.

[napnaps]

I leave a lunch box with a tip and note for Amazon delivery drivers, some take it some don’t.
It makes me feel better knowing if they didn’t even have a sandwich or drink they do now. Thank you delivery drivers xx

[sven]

The way companies are monitoring employees and pushing them to the brink, governments should monitor employers more to make sure they are adheereing to the full extent of labour law

[dansaid]

Welcome to the real world!
When I was in secondary school, they tried to make it out as if the UK is a land of milk and honey but the reality is that so many people in this country are struggling in the world of work!

[navooon]

Hi everyone i was working as a amazon delivery driver, amount off parcels everyday was riching 300 parcels some days was 370 parcels. When i couldn't fit them in my van the yard marshals come over and put boxes every where they can just to make me take all of them. On the training i was told to drive safe and i should have a 10% space in a back of my van but there wasn't any of that. If you are behind 20 drops and you hear that if you bring back more then 40 parcels you will be released in same day. It makes you stress and runing from door to door with parcels. Every day was bad for all of the drivers. When i was taking 300 parcels and ariving on first drop i have to unload half of the van on main roads just to find first bag. I hope amount of parcels will drop to safe level. I don't working there but i still got good friends there and i feel sorry for them