Demanding customers force us to break traffic rules, say riders

PRESSURE from impatient customers and lack of understanding by their employers were the top reasons cited by food delivery riders who break traffic rules.

A majority of these riders in Kuala Lumpur told StarMetro that they were under constant pressure to deliver food on time, especially from impatient customers.

“I was on my way to deliver food to a woman one day when it started to rain heavily, ’’ said delivery rider Irwan Azli.

“She kept texting me every five minutes and became very rude when I told her I would be delayed because of the rain.

“She said it was my job to deliver food on time and threatened to give me low ratings, ” he said.

Irwan said he was under pressure to deliver food within a certain time and if he was a little late, his ratings would suffer.

“There was another customer who insisted that the food be piping hot when she got it, saying she would complain to my company if it was not.

“This makes the job more stressful, ” he added.

Another rider, who only wanted to be known as Mohd Zaki, said he never broke traffic rules although he was tempted to do so at times, when pressured by customers.

“Many riders flout traffic rules to complete the job fast.

“No one wants to get caught in traffic in the heat or rain, ’’ he added.

Delivery rider Osman Manaf said sometimes, he would take a shortcut to get to his destination faster, adding that he was always careful when using such shortcuts.

Most despatch riders said the companies they worked for normally took the customers’ side as they believed “the customer is always right.’’

Foodpanda Malaysia logistics head Shubham Saran, in an email statement to StarMetro, said; “Foodpanda Malaysia is not aware of the issue regarding riders using the pedestrian walkways along Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman and Jalan Masjid India.

“We at Foodpanda consider this a serious matter as the well-being and safety of all Malaysians are our top priority.

“We do not condone these actions and necessary steps will be taken immediately once the riders are identified.

“We are constantly sending out important reminders to all our riders to ensure they obey all the rules and traffic regulations in Malaysia.

“Our commitment is to continue delivering food, groceries and joy to all customers in a safe manner.

“This is a message that we consistently communicate to our riders and will continue to do so as we look to address issues such as this, ’’ Shubham added.

Meanwhile, a Grab Malaysia spokesperson said safety was its main priority.

“We regularly remind our delivery riders to put safety first and follow road safety rules.

“We have a zero-tolerance policy on traffic violations or reckless riding that may endanger the lives of other road users.

“This includes complying with speed limits, obeying road signals and traffic lights, and using a hands-free kit while riding.

“Specifically, for our partners, they are required to attend safety training and practical assessments, and are always required to be dressed appropriately.

“Grab’s analytical tools also allow the app to help delivery partners identify areas of improvement.

“This includes regular telematics reports on their riding patterns, such as speeding, acceleration and braking, and we are looking to add more parameters over time.

“We also have a fair strike system in place for delivery partners who frequently disregard the guidelines and policies in place.

“Issues reported are reviewed, investigated and action is taken to ensure a safe platform.

“We regularly encourage our community of users and delivery partners to share their feedback and experience to us via the app, so that we are able to continue to take the necessary action to reduce preventable incidents.

“We will continue to work with the government and related agencies to develop programmes to encourage all road users to follow safety rules and keep one another safe, ” the spokesperson added. — By BAVANI M