For several days, Andy Newman worked as a deliveryman for apps like Uber Eats and Postmates, revealing an inside look at on-demand workers and how they can be exploited.
Nearly a third of delivery cyclists missed work because of on-the-job injuries last year, one survey found, and at least four delivery riders or bike messengers have been killed in crashes with cars this year. Riders on electric bikes face fines and confiscation, though that may change.
Maria Figueroa, director of labor and policy research for the Cornell University Worker Institute in Manhattan, called the food couriers “the most vulnerable workers in digital labor.”
Check It Out: On-Demand Workers Open to Exploitation