SCMP recently reported that a 55-year-old man working as a delivery man in China died while falling asleep on an electric motorbike.
The heartbreaking incident immediately sparked debate about the harsh working conditions of delivery workers.
The incident occurred in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province on September 6 and was widely circulated through a video on social media. The man, surnamed Yuan, was found dead while resting on his electric motorbike after a long day of delivering many orders.
According to a witness, Mr. Vien worked from about 9 p.m. on September 5 until he was discovered by a colleague who also worked as a delivery man at 1 a.m. the next morning.
Mr. Vien usually wakes up to prepare for work from 3am (or 6am) until 9pm - 10pm at night, according to SCMP.
An industry insider told Zonglan News that Mr. Yuan is known for his tireless work ethic, earning him the nickname “king of orders.” He typically earns 500 to 600 yuan (about 1.7 million to 2 million VND) a day, and can earn up to 700 yuan (about 2.4 million VND) on rainy days.
"Sometimes he works until 3am, then wakes up at 6am to start work. When he feels tired, he will take a nap in the car, ready to go back to work as soon as there is a new order," an insider shared.
Another colleague said that a month before his death, Mr. Vien broke his leg in a traffic accident while delivering goods. He only rested for about 10 days before returning to work, and the next tragedy happened soon after.
According to SCMP, Mr. Yuan moved from Hubei province to Hangzhou to earn a living and save money to send his 16-year-old son to school there. He also has an older son who is married and has children.
On September 9, the Xianlin District Office in Yuhang District issued a statement confirming that Mr. Yuan had “suffered a stroke and died despite emergency treatment.” They said that the food delivery platform, the insurance company, and the family had reached an agreement, and further procedures were underway.
The incident sparked outrage on social media, with many expressing grief and concern about the working conditions of delivery workers.
According to statistics, the number of food delivery workers in China exceeded 10 million last year. The two largest platforms, Meituan and Ele.me, have 7.45 million and 4 million active drivers, respectively.
The study found that from 2018 to 2021, the number of hours worked by full-time delivery drivers increased significantly. In 2018, about 36.5% of drivers worked more than 10 hours a day; by 2021, that number had increased to 62.6%.
