I wonder why the range of hourly rates? Start out at 18 and move up to 25 with experience?
Could be some sort of surge pricing model. During busier times, the rate could go up to attract more drivers.
Amazon Flex
51–60 of 475 posts
Re: Amazon Flex
#52I've got a suspicion that Amazon has been trialling/building this in the UK since their purchase of Yodel, perhaps earlier. A number of times some bloke in a car has turned up and delivered me a package. No uniform, no branding. Just a phone running Amazon software. I can't say it's the greatest experience.
I can't find anything that says Amazon bought Yodel - do you have a source? That said, I think you might be right about Yodel's general model being like this. Their service is shocking.
On the other hand, right now I am waiting on a parcel being delivered by DPD on behalf of Amazon. They have given a one hour window, I can track the location of the van online, and I could have text them this morning to rearrange the delivery of the parcel or provide different delivery instructions. And the drivers wear uniforms!
Re: Amazon Flex
#53I'm surprised they aren't launching with cyclists too. Maybe they don't know the size of the backpack / basket that the delivery person has? I kinda just bike around Toronto for fun / exercise (up to 100kms in a day) and if I didn't have to alter my bike I could consider doing it. Plus it is faster in many parts of the city to bike than to take car or transit.
Re: Amazon Flex
#54I've got a suspicion that Amazon has been trialling/building this in the UK since their purchase of Yodel, perhaps earlier. A number of times some bloke in a car has turned up and delivered me a package. No uniform, no branding. Just a phone running Amazon software. I can't say it's the greatest experience.
Delivery service quality has gone down for years now, here in Germany A few times a delivery guy stole my packages (>1000€) and most of the time it gets simply placed in the hallway without further notice... Insurance covers this, but it's aggravating non the less :\
I used to be a delivery driver in rural England, and one day it was a Harry Potter book release date and we were told explicitly not to leave on the door step if they weren't in. I'm not sure who sent these instructions whether it was the company sending the items, or our company delivering, but it's funny to see perceived value imposed on this occasion.
Re: Amazon Flex
#55I've got a suspicion that Amazon has been trialling/building this in the UK since their purchase of Yodel, perhaps earlier. A number of times some bloke in a car has turned up and delivered me a package. No uniform, no branding. Just a phone running Amazon software. I can't say it's the greatest experience.
How was the experience bad? I never see my UPS delivery guy so I can't imagine it matters one way or the other to me how my packages "magically" show up on my front porch.
If you see a UPS delivery guy or truck, you know who it is. Not so when some random person is creeping around your house.
Re: Amazon Flex
#56Earlier quoted context omitted.
My theory is these jobs need to last only long enough for society to get it's head out of it's ass and introduce a universal basic income policy
> and introduce a universal basic income policy here we go again with this... What's wrong with such jobs ? AS mentioned by Amazon you don't need to work 9 to 5, you can just work for extra if you need. Even if you HAD basic income this kind of part-time job could make sense to make a bit more money that the nothing you would get to survive on your own.
Nothing is inherently wrong with the job per se, it's that the general acceptance of a commoditized workforce is dangerous in that it circumvents many other protections offered by regular jobs (not that those are that much better) in disguise because it has a relatively high hourly rate. Your effective hourly rate after paying for health insurance plus other company provided benefits is likely much closer to normal rates.
Basic income is a method to prevent wage slavery* as well as many other negative side affects of having to work to try and provide even the basic necessities (shelter and food). This job would be awesome in the world of basic income because people wouldn't have to worry about how they are going to feed themselves, but would be able to work extra to be able to afford the quality of life they prefer. Basic income is about rebalancing the power structures between employer and employee, and giving the power back to the people without it (the employees.)
Re: Amazon Flex
#57If they're launching now in major cities, I'm guessing drone deliveries aren't coming anytime soon. (Or this is insurance against the drone plan not working.)
Those delivery drones aren't happening unless there is a huge improvement in battery technology and there are a number of companies and labs working very hard on that problem, some for decades.
Re: Amazon Flex
#58Earlier quoted context omitted.
Somebody needs to work out how you drop of packages for Amazon while driving passengers around for Uber. Actually - not completely crazy - how willing would you be as a passenger to take a few detours to get a saving on your taxi bill?
Hmm. Sounds like an opportunity for a new business? Fluber will spawn itself as a broker to both services -- you just go where the app tells you and pick up your cargo (packages or people) and shuttle them to where the app tells you to go.
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Re: Amazon Flex
#59I've got a suspicion that Amazon has been trialling/building this in the UK since their purchase of Yodel, perhaps earlier. A number of times some bloke in a car has turned up and delivered me a package. No uniform, no branding. Just a phone running Amazon software. I can't say it's the greatest experience.
I can't find anything that says Amazon bought Yodel - do you have a source? That said, I think you might be right about Yodel's general model being like this. Their service is shocking. On the other hand, right now I am waiting on a parcel being delivered by DPD on behalf of Amazon. They have given a one hour window, I can track the location of the van online, and I could have text them this morning to rearrange the…
They didn't acquire Yodel, but they did acquire a minor stake in it: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/24/amazon-yod...
Re: Amazon Flex
#60I've got a suspicion that Amazon has been trialling/building this in the UK since their purchase of Yodel, perhaps earlier. A number of times some bloke in a car has turned up and delivered me a package. No uniform, no branding. Just a phone running Amazon software. I can't say it's the greatest experience.
I can't find anything that says Amazon bought Yodel - do you have a source? That said, I think you might be right about Yodel's general model being like this. Their service is shocking. On the other hand, right now I am waiting on a parcel being delivered by DPD on behalf of Amazon. They have given a one hour window, I can track the location of the van online, and I could have text them this morning to rearrange the…
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