University lecturer experiences life as a food delivery driver

A university lecturer in Linyi, Shandong province, has shone a light on the plight of food delivery drivers by taking on the role himself for a month and sharing his trials and tribulations online.

Last December, Xing Bin, a lecturer at the College of Literature at Linyi University, was so overcome with curiosity about what life and work must be like for a delivery driver, he decided to sign up and be one from December to January this year.

The gig economy, for better or worse, has exploded in China in recent years, and though many members of the workforce choose to work in the gig economy by choice because of its flexibility, others prefer the stability of stable full-time employment.

During the month, Xing worked more than 10 hours and took 30,000 steps a day. He lost 6 kilograms and earned a total of 7,000 yuan ($962).On average, he earned 10 yuan each hour, and 20 yuan at most.

According to Kanzhun.com, a commercial recruitment website, the average monthly salary of a delivery driver is just over 7,000 yuan.

"I was delivering food from early morning till late at night for around 13 hours a day. When I had classes, I delivered food for two hours early in the morning, and after dinner I continued delivering until one or two in the morning," Xing said, adding he could earn more by working at night.

The reaction to his posts online spurred numerous comments sympathizing with the tough working conditions that delivery drivers must endure.

"During that month, I tasted the bitterness and the happiness of this job with my heart," he said.

"I delivered over 2,000 orders, and three of the people who ordered impressed me a lot."

One took place late at night when Xing delivered food to a village where there were no streetlights. The couple who ordered the food used a flashlight to walk Xing out of the small village to the main road.

"They were afraid that I would get lost in the middle of the night," said Xing.

"Their kindness gives me strength. But I also met rude people, and they didn't respect delivery drivers at all," he added.

Xing said he now understands the difficulties of delivery workers better and realizes how hard they work to make a living.

"Before, if I got a call from a delivery worker, I might delay answering it. But now I will always answer it immediately because I know they might be riding an electric bike while making the call, which is very dangerous," said Xing.

"I also hope that more people can understand the hardships of delivery workers and show more respect toward them," he said.

zhaoruixue@chinadaily.com.cn