Summary
GrabFood rider Suhada Abdullah, 52, continues working 10 to 14 hours daily despite a persistent cough to support her five children.
Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau said platforms shouldn’t penalise riders for haze-related delivery delays, reduced job allocations or lost incentives.
Grab and Foodpanda have introduced safety measures, including flexible breaks, haze advisories and additional support, while riders continue to worry about lost earnings.
SINGAPORE: A persistent cough hasn’t stopped food delivery rider Suhada Abdullah from spending up to 14 hours a day on her motorcycle, delivering meals through the haze.
The 52-year-old single mother of five relies on her GrabFood earnings to pay for housing, groceries and motorcycle costs. Taking time off means losing money she needs to support her family. Her predicament reflects a difficult choice facing delivery riders in Singapore: protect their health or keep working to meet daily expenses.
Riders are now concerned about the haze’s effects on their health and earnings, even as delivery platforms introduced safety measures, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported (Oct 20).
Delivery targets increase work pressure on riders during the haze
Suhada said longer trips and poorly sequenced orders had made it harder to meet incentive targets. Although she hadn’t been penalised for delivery delays, missing those targets could affect her income.
Another GrabFood rider, Shawn Lim, 35, said the skies had cleared somewhat, but the air still felt unhealthy. He had taken a day off after catching a cold and continued wearing a snood while working.
Bicycle Grab delivery rider Evan Gan, 30, also worried that slower trips could reduce his earnings under an incentive-based system.
For Siti Muhaini, a mother of seven who delivers meals by bicycle, the concern was having to work longer hours to make up for lost income. She said she sometimes felt breathless even while wearing an N95 mask.
Government and delivery platforms outline safety measures
Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau said on Oct 16 that platform workers shouldn’t face penalties for delivery delays during the haze. These include pay deductions, reduced job allocations and penalties tied to incentive schemes.
Grab said riders wouldn’t be penalised for logging off during the haze or taking longer to complete orders. It added that road safety should take priority over delivery speed.
Foodpanda said it had introduced a special haze support incentive to provide riders with extra earnings. Its platform also offers excused breaks, allowing riders to rest between orders while retaining applicable incentives.
Other logistics firms have taken similar steps. J&T Express encourages workers to limit prolonged outdoor activity when air quality is poor, while Lalamove advises its driver partners to take breaks and reduce time on the road.
Delivery platforms have also issued haze advisories and worked with the National Delivery Champions Association, a National Trades Union Congress-affiliated association, to distribute N95 masks.
Masks help, but riders still face health concerns
Some riders said wearing N95 masks for long periods was uncomfortable, particularly in the heat while riding a motorcycle.
A delivery worker identified as Nora, 32, worried about the long-term effects of repeated haze exposure. An 18-year-old rider named Suhairie said he would continue working despite feeling slightly unwell because he had bills to pay.
Their experiences show why safety advice alone may not be enough when workers depend on each completed delivery to make ends meet.
Allowing riders to log off is useful, but the choice becomes harder when resting means earning less. Support measures need to help workers protect their health without feeling compelled to make up the difference through longer hours.
A safer delivery system means giving riders genuine room to slow down when the air turns unhealthy, without making their livelihoods pay the price.