TRANSPORT SAFETY & SECURITY
Gig-work
ROAD SAFETY & WARM PIZZA
When it comes to improving safety for gig-workers, we need to establish an appetite (pun absolutely intended) for collaboration. Isobel Duxfield speaks to cities, researchers and the industry about how we can kick-start the conversation and what instruments, from policy to data, could and should be used
Driving at fast speeds around the city places other road users at risk © goffkein.pro, Shutterstock
Instant delivery has become a symbol of the modern metropolis. Today you would be hard pressed to traverse any global city without passing at least a dozen delivery drivers on bikes, e-bikes and scooters darting through the traffic.
As our cities and regions strive towards Vision Zero, many are redoubling their efforts to make urban streets safer for everybody. However, as POLIS’ Safety and Security Working Group has been exploring, this cannot be achieved without addressing gig-riders. Yet, Europe has lacked a comprehensive conversation on the challenges and the ways forward of the gig-economy – so, how do we change this?
The rise of instant delivery
On-demand food delivery has grown exponentially over the last several years. This growth has been faster propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, as stay-at-home orders increased demand for take-away services. New players like Gorillas (who promise delivery in just 10 minutes) have emerged on the scene, and old faces like UberEats, DoorDash and Deliveroo gained ground. At the same time, business models have been adapting to new patterns of consumption branching out into grocery delivery and opening ghost- and delivery only-kitchens, which cut local restaurants out of the picture altogether. This rise has multiplied the number of drivers and riders buzzing around the city: in Paris, the number of full-time couriers leapt by over 40% between 2016 and 2021, and New York is now home to an astonishing 65,000 delivery drivers. The market has grown in importance for each of these gig-riders as well, as job losses and wage cuts stripped many of their main salary, and these deliveries became their main source of income.
The industry is changing rapidly, we are seeing many take up these jobs on a full-time basis, where previously it was a way to supplement income, often amongst students.
Dr. Laetitia Dablanc, head of Chair Logistics City at Université Gustave Eiffel.
As a result of this trend, there are a large and growing number of individuals heavily reliant on the instant delivery sector. However, such rapid delivery comes at a cost, particularly to gig-riders’ safety. This is a topic Professor Nicola Christie from University College London has worked extensively on, conducting research into young driver safety, occupational road safety, the links between child road safety and poverty, and avenues for developing new mobility and safety data. Christie’s research has uncovered a range of practices which are exposing couriers to unsafe situations.
“We interviewed riders and conducted an online survey, examining what life was like as a courier and the repercussions of industry practices on their safety,” said Christie at POLIS’ recent Safety and Security Working Group meeting, which drew together cities, regions and researchers to examine this issue.
Why is POLIS concerned about this issue?
Through the Safety and Security Working Group, POLIS joins cities and regions to address how to make urban mobility networks safe for all users. The Working Group addresses street and road safety, with a particular focus on protecting those who walk, cycle, or use public transport or shared micromobility vehicles. As a result, the safety of gig-riders is a critical issue which the group believes both cities and the industry must address to ensure everybody’s safety on urban roads.
Christie’s research is echoed by similar studies across Europe, including DeBlanc’s, whose survey of drivers in Paris revealed that 70% believe there is a high road safety risk in the job, and 25% have had at least one crash. DeBlanc’s research has formed the basis of Gustave Eiffel University’s E-commerce Mobilities Observatory, a world leading repository of information and research on the changing face of urban freight.
A structural lack of safety
These safety concerns are rooted in the employment structure of the gig-economy and the ways gig-riders are renumerated for their efforts. When they are paid per delivery, given seconds to accept a job, and face severe repercussions for missed orders, it is little surprise that almost 80% report not stopping at red lights. This situation has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Rising demand for take-away and e-commerce has placed even greater focus on pace of service, while simultaneously, job insecurity caused by recent economic instability has impelled many gig-riders to extend the number of jobs they accept, and hours worked. According to research from Gustave Eiffel, 40% are working six days a week, many riding for more than 8 hours a day. Similarly, Christie found couriers working 12-hour days for 3 weeks at a time during busy periods of the year, with exhaustion placing gig-riders – and those around them – in danger.
Driver delivers food © Norma Mortenson, Pexels
The industry responds
Uber’s food delivery platform UberEats has emerged as a major player in the market in recent years, now operating in 23 countries, with more than 370,000 couriers. As the safety of riders has become a rising concern for cities, Uber has begun to respond. “For Uber, safety is not just a box to tick but a commitment that runs deep in our organisation. We build safety into every part of the Uber experience and constantly push to improve it with every trip,” says Zuzana Púčiková, Director of EU Public Policy at Uber. Working with national and international policymakers, the platform has begun to expand the safety net for couriers- offering recompense for sick leave and maternity/paternity payments in Europe, thus reducing drivers’ haste to rack up deliveries and subsequent fatigue. Over the last several years, Uber has been developing a number of features to support the safety of drivers and couriers on the platform, such as speed alerts, driver hour limits and seatbelt education. This engagement with safety and wellbeing has also seen improvement in Uber’s feedback channels through associations and unions, hotlines, and roundtables, which have allowed drivers to express their opinions on working conditions and safety concerns.
Facilitating dialogue between cities and the delivery sector
As instant delivery continues to grow, expanding into fresh territories and developing new ways of working, safety of drivers and riders is rising up the agenda for cities and delivery platforms. However, comprehensive action requires deliberative and co-ordinated dialogue between cities, law enforcement and industry leaders. Suzanne Anderson from Gothenburg, and the Chair of the Safety and Security Working Group, summed up the role of cities aptly. “At the end of the day, we want pleasant, safe and secure places for our citizens, this means confronting the issue of gig-workers' safety, not just for them, but for everyone.” Cities do have the capacity – and the will – for action. Over the last few years, we have seen expansion of regulation in an attempt to institute better employment benefits and collective bargaining rights for couriers.
Driver delivers food © Shutterstock
In the State of California and city of Paris, delivery companies have faced court action for contravening labour laws. Meanwhile in the UK, Uber was compelled to reclassify all 70,000 of its drivers in Britain as “workers” entitled to a minimum wage, holiday pay and pension plans. Conversations between industry and cities are developing. “We all need to play our part. Companies, cities and regulators we can develop the right policies to help people move in ways that help the city and the planet,” added Púčiková. “As cities re-emerge from COVID shutdown, we are partnering with local authorities for an 'EU Return to the Road' campaign focused on addressing the top road safety concerns.” Indeed, in France, Uber has developed product features and launched educational partnerships on road safety. To guarantee the safety of couriers in case of bad weather conditions, drivers are notified by SMS and, in the event of a red alert, recommended not to connect to the application. Undoubtedly, defining and apportioning responsibility for gig-workers' safety is a tough task. “There is a tricky question to be answered about where road safety policy ends and employment law starts,” says Amy Pidwill, Road Safety Strategy Lead at Transport for London. “Nonetheless, our role is to help make cities safer, greener, more pleasant places to be – this means engaging with the delivery sector, too.”
Delivering the data
Sharing data on couriers’ movements is a good starting point in such partnerships. Both Christie and DeBlanc agree. “We need to start with the data,” says DeBlanc. Data sharing – an issue POLIS has discussed in much depth – presents a critical occasion for such collaboration. Platforms have access to a wealth of data on drivers and the factors affecting their safety. Armed with this, local authorities can begin to understand and respond with action which works for everyone.
Driver delivers food © Cottonbro, Pexels
“All injury prevention starts with good data”, agrees Christie. “This also means peer-to-peer sharing amongst cities and regions themselves, we need to amass this research to create workable solutions.” Comprehensive data sharing initiatives are beginning to be developed, with cities across Europe trialling new data standards which facilitate sharing of traffic data within GDPR compliant frameworks.
Data sharing for smarter cities: POLIS pursues!
An essential element of public-private partnerships is data sharing. This is an issue POLIS has been working closely on, publishing an exploratory study on the gap between public and private mobility operators’ data usage, identifying key areas where collaboration can improve interoperability and service delivery. POLIS’ Governance and Integration Working Group has brought together local authorities, operators, and civil society organisations to navigate this topic together and debate the way forward.
Why should our cities care?
The safety of gig-workers is all part of a wider question about transport innovation. The technological capacities of instant urban delivery platforms are astonishing. Yet, our cities are more than fibre optics and 5G connections: they are about people. Is the ability to order a cheeseburger at 3AM truly advancement if it places riders and those around them in danger? This issue is one hot potato we cannot pass on. Time to come to the table.
Isobel Duxfield is Communications and Membership Officer at POLIS Network.
You can contact her at: iduxfield@polisnetwork.eu