'Why would I want to harm myself?' Some delivery riders look to cut hours as haze worsens

SINGAPORE – Some food delivery riders said they are prepared to cut back on working hours to protect their health as the haze worsens, while others are pressing on, hoping to earn more as fellow riders stay off the roads.

Haze levels have reached a new high this year, with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) hitting a “very unhealthy” 212 in western Singapore on Oct 15.

The one-hour PM2.5 readings in the same area also surged to 288 on Oct 14, its highest level since 2015. Delivery riders working in the Clementi area told The Straits Times that their eyes were irritated and throats sore after plying the roads for hours in the haze.

Some wore masks to protect themselves, while others went without, saying the masks trapped sweat and became uncomfortable after prolonged use.

Among those choosing to take a break was Zareth Tan, 33, who was picking up a bubble tea order at Clementi Mall on the evening of Oct 14.

The delivery rider, who typically works five to six days a week and completes about 20 orders a day, said he had decided to take the following day off after experiencing itchy eyes.

He said he would keep tabs the haze situation and return to work only when air quality improved.

Another rider Md Amri said he had discarded his mask after it became too sweaty, but planned to wear one again the next day.

Although he was continuing to make deliveries for now, he would consider taking time off if the haze worsened.

“When it’s really hazardous, then I won’t do,” said Amri, adding that he already had a sore throat and cough from the haze. “Why would I want to harm myself?”

The 40-year-old, who is married with children, said he does food deliveries part-time to help pay his car installments. A 2.5 hour shift can make him between $50 and $70, he said.

In an Oct 12 statement, Foodpanda said its haze precautions include regular air-quality advisories, flexible working hours and an app feature that lets riders take short breaks without losing applicable incentives.

Meanwhile, Grab is supporting an initiative to provide free N95 masks to delivery riders who are members of the National Delivery Champions Association.

ST has contacted both platforms, checking if they are experiencing a surge in food orders amid worsening haze, and if there are enough riders to meet demand.

Even as some riders were prepared to forgo some earnings, others said they will soldier on.

“If the hand stops, the mouth stops,” said Darren Tan, 49, a father of two. “I’ve got children … a lot of commitments, so I can’t take a break,” he said, as he walked towards his motorcycle parked near Clementi Mall.

While he would rather stay off the roads during the haze, Tan said there was an upside: With fewer riders working and demand for deliveries rising, those who continued could potentially earn more.

Tan has been a delivery rider for the past decade, working an average of 10 hours a day, six days a week. He can make about $200 on a 10-hour shift, before deducting expenses like petrol and CPF contributions.

He said being a rider allows him to “earn quite well” but comes with its share of risks. Besides the current haze, he recalled contracting Covid-19 three times while making deliveries during the pandemic.

“Wear your mask,” he advised, before stowing an order of Subway sandwiches on his bike and zipped away into the haze.

This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.

新加坡——随着雾霾加剧，一些外卖骑手表示，他们准备减少工作时间以保护自身健康，而另一些骑手则继续工作，希望在其他骑手因雾霾而减少上路的情况下赚取更多收入。

今年雾霾水平达到新高，10 月 15 日新加坡西部 24 小时污染物标准指数 (PSI) 达到“非常不健康”的 212。

10月14日，同一地区的PM2.5一小时读数也飙升至288，为2015年以来的最高水平。在金文泰地区工作的外卖骑手告诉《海峡时报》，他们在雾霾中奔波数小时后，眼睛感到刺痛，喉咙也感到疼痛。

有些人戴口罩保护自己，而另一些人则不戴口罩，他们说口罩会积聚汗水，长时间佩戴会感到不舒服。

选择休息一下的人中，有一位是 33 岁的 Zareth Tan，他于 10 月 14 日晚上在金文泰购物中心取了一份珍珠奶茶订单。

这位送货员通常每周工作五到六天，每天完成大约 20 个订单。他说，由于眼睛发痒，他决定第二天休息。

他说他会密切关注雾霾情况，只有在空气质量改善后才会返回工作岗位。

另一位骑手 Md Amri 表示，由于口罩太闷热，他已经摘掉了口罩，但计划第二天再戴上。

虽然他目前仍在继续送货，但如果雾霾加剧，他会考虑休息一段时间。

“如果真的非常危险，我就不会去了，”阿姆里说，并补充道，他已经因为雾霾而喉咙痛、咳嗽。“我为什么要伤害自己呢？”

这位40岁的已婚男子育有子女，他说自己兼职送外卖是为了补贴车贷。他表示，2.5小时的送餐服务可以让他赚到50到70美元。

Foodpanda 在 10 月 12 日的一份声明中表示，其应对雾霾的措施包括定期发布空气质量警报、灵活的工作时间以及一项应用程序功能，允许骑手在不失去相应奖励的情况下进行短暂休息。

与此同时，Grab 正在支持一项倡议，向全国送餐冠军协会的成员送餐员免费提供 N95 口罩。

ST 已联系这两个平台，询问在雾霾加剧的情况下，他们的食品订单是否激增，以及骑手是否足够满足需求。

尽管一些骑手准备放弃部分收入，但另一些骑手表示他们会继续坚持下去。

“手停了，嘴也停了，”49岁的达伦·谭说道，他有两个孩子。“我有孩子……有很多事情要忙，所以我不能休息，”他一边说着，一边走向停在金文泰购物中心附近的摩托车。

Tan表示，虽然他宁愿在雾霾期间待在家里，但也有一个好处：由于骑手减少，送货需求增加，那些继续骑车的人可能会赚得更多。

谭先生过去十年一直做外卖员，平均每天工作10小时，每周工作6天。他每天工作10小时大约能赚到200美元，这还不包括汽油费和公积金等开支。

他说，当骑手“收入相当不错”，但也伴随着一定的风险。除了目前的雾霾，他还回忆起疫情期间送货时曾三次感染新冠病毒。

“戴上口罩，”他叮嘱道，然后把一份赛百味三明治装上自行车，飞驰而去，消失在雾霾中。

本文最初发表于《海峡时报》。转载需获得许可。