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fattypigfatty t1_j9qqppx wrote

Is the job as bad as some people say it is? Are you guys on a ridiculously tight schedule that's calculated down to like seconds with each delivery with barely any breaks in between?

Figured I might as well ask someone who's done with it so I could get an honest answer.

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Tegovernment t1_j9r89zg wrote

I currently deliver for Amazon. It's not as bad as you think it is. Although some of that may be the DSP (Delivery Service Provider) that I work for being better than most. As long as you get your shit done, it's all good. I will say I generally don't take more than 15 minutes of break a day, usually just to use the restroom if I happen to find a gas station (I'm in rural Florida so that's never a given). But I don't need much more. I eat while I drive and bring a cooler with extra water and my food and snacks for the day.

It's honestly a really solid job to do. Pay isn't bad. The hours can be long and it's never really dull. There's no real sitting around twiddling your thumbs. Also, free arms and legs workout. The (mostly) friendly animals are a nice bonus as well.

Edit: To add on to the "not as bad" for the timeline, I'm never hard rushing and I'm always ahead of schedule. So it's not that tight as long as you're being at least somewhat efficient at each stop and not wasting too much time.

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supagirl277 t1_j9sogh1 wrote

So you’re saying that you can’t efficiently do your job unless you eat while on the job and only take one fifteen minute break all day? You just described an unrealistic standard. Just because it’s no big deal to you to do it doesn’t mean it isn’t wrong. You need to have two 15 minute breaks and a dedicated lunch for just working 8 hours.

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r1char00 t1_j9ur6yn wrote

Definitely. Not even legal in my state anyway.

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Tegovernment t1_j9wdn4j wrote

I'm not saying I have to, it's what I choose to do. Like I said I'm always ahead of schedule by a good bit (at least an hour) so it's just a personal choice at that point. I don't need the breaks most of the time, and when I do I have no issues taking my breaks as needed.

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seakc87 t1_j9su8tx wrote

I did it for over a year in Wisconsin (both city and rural). Amazon purposefully overpacks the trucks because they don't directly employ the drivers. That means that the DSPs are set up to fail. That way, Amazon can keep their costs low when it comes time to renew contacts. With that being said, I still took, at least, my 30 min lunch break. Amazon be damned.

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dunkarooooo t1_j9rxju7 wrote

It really depends. Amazon employs contractors who hire drivers as employees. Each contractor has some autonomy on how they treat their employees. The one I worked for was pretty good overall. 4 days a week 10-12 hour days with option to pick up additional shifts as overtime. $20 per hour plus good health insurance.

They are required to micromanage safety and do monitor your driving to an extent. I had no problem working 10+ hours at a steady pace but you will be very sore your first few weeks. I quit because I nearly slide off a road during a snow storm multiple times. I think I was driving a rear wheel drive rental van lmao. At the end of the day you are just a number to these contractors and it is even worse at the warehouses. But if you are stubborn and keep your head down and aren't afraid of hard work you won't be overwhelmed by the job. What you described doesn't exist though btw Noone would do it.

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TehBrawlGuy t1_j9sc7fx wrote

Plenty of people would do it. If you have a kid or two and can't survive on min wage, a good parent will do what keeps a roof over their kid's head even if it's miserable. Not endorsing the way they get treated, of course, but people will absolutely endure mistreatment if they desperately need money.

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dunkarooooo t1_j9sdyti wrote

What i meant is the whole seconds between stops being monitored is a myth. Noone would do it if you were monitored that intensely. It's a huge exaggeration what people claim regardless of if it does, in fact, still suck.

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