[ChiragM]

With more than 30 delivery executives from various companies caught for traffic violations, traffic cops issue notices to Swiggy, Zomato, and Domino's and also tell them to add safe driving as a performance parameter

Unable to rein in rash riders delivering food across the city, the Mumbai Traffic police have now written to various food aggregators, including Zomato and Swiggy, to step in and stop the nuisance. The riders, routinely found violating traffic regulations because of time targets, were initially fined by the traffic cops but that failed to be a deterrent.

The police have now urged aggregators to discourage delivery executives from speeding. Madhukar Pandey, joint commissioner of police (traffic) said that on an average, the traffic police apprehend around 30 food delivery drivers every day over traffic violations. He pointed out that after trying other options like fining them and organising training sessions for drivers to sensitise them, they realised that the problem was also due to policies of the food aggregator companies.

"No matter how much action you take, they are expected by the software to reach a particular place within a certain amount of time. So we have written to the companies and asked them to delink delivery time from performance of the drivers," he said, explaining that their performance should be partly rated by delivery time and partly for safe driving in an optimal manner.

Pandey said that the traffic police sent notices to Swiggy, Zomato and Domino's last month. He added that in the letter, the traffic police have also asked the companies to check driving licences when they are hired and ensure that drivers don't have any challans pending. While none of the companies have replied to the letter yet, Pandey said that they will monitor the situation until March. "We are monitoring the number of cases of rash driving involving food delivery companies. We will take a review in the first week of March and if there is no significant decline in number of cases by then, we will call them (companies) for a meeting or take stronger action," he said.

While Domino's chose not to comment, a spokesperson from Swiggy said, "The safety of public and our delivery partners is of utmost importance to Swiggy. We actively promote the adherence of traffic rules amongst our delivery partners and do not rate or penalise them for late deliveries. Delivery partners are consistently sensitised on safe riding practices, safety gear and parking etiquette. We also initiate necessary action against those found guilty of violating traffic rules including termination of services."

As part of its 'Safety First' initiative, Swiggy's spokesperson said, its delivery partners undergo training on the various nuances of road safety.

Zomato's spokesperson said that the company did not penalise or incentivise delivery partners on the basis of speed of delivery.

"Delivery partners are not informed if a particular order falls under 'On Time Or Free', ensuring they don't rush through the delivery," he said. Delivery boy mid-day spoke to, however, said that he has been penalised for a late delivery before. "The boys who are new to the job or don't know the area well are the ones who face problems navigating the route. They can't figure out the roads and end up speeding," said another delivery boy.

Source

[Shamegz]

Pizza delivery format had ethics, even Taxi drivers follow rules , but App food delivery has no respect for rules or life.
They claim they are "hunger saviors" but they risk life.
I guess there are no regulation/guidelines by Ministry on road on these, good to see someone initiative on this regard.

[motorpsycho]

Bengaluru Police commissioner Bhaskar Rao has aslo warned Swiggy recently, his tweet on it below

Mr Swiggy Cares, you are the biggest violators and have the temirity to tell me that you adhere to rules, your boys beg cops to let them go as you penalize them, next time a Swiggy kid bleeds on road, be sure, you management will be behind bars.— Bhaskar Rao IPS (@deepolice12) January 21, 2020

[V.Narayan]

Good move by the Mumbai Police. These food delivery companies believe that rules and discipline do not apply to them be it the capital markets or the roads.

[arvind71181]

High time this notice is issued Pan India. Zomato also has an offer where if you pay Rs.10, they assure of delivery within a specific timeline .

They also say that drivers are not penalized, not sure that's the way it works in reality

[libranof1987]

Good move but I doubt this will be very effective.

Be it Swiggy/Zomato or Uber/Ola, these guys earn money on a commission basis. So, the more deliveries you make or trips you complete, more is your earning. Hence, there is always enough motivation for them to finish one and get on to the next as early as possible.

I do feel for the drivers though, given the meagre, and ever-decreasing commissions, earnings. Zomato has shrewdly put the onus of giving the valet a decent earning on the customers by enabling a tip option.

Minimum wage, labor laws and minimum service guarantee are what might help.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

These food delivery companies believe that rules and discipline do not apply to them be it the capital markets

Touche!

[greenhorn]

their performance should be partly rated by delivery time and partly for safe driving in an optimal manner.

How do they propose to do this? by tracking how many times they are fined?
I predict that this will lead to
1. local cops setting up an unofficial subscription service for looking the other way (and keeping the bikers on the right side of the law on paper)
2. An incentive structure which, although compliant to the directive by reducing the delivery time, will still require it to be done by either requiring a minimum number of trips a day, well in excess of what can be done while riding properly, or a trip count based incentive system where there will be a positive incentive for these riders to speed, and in both cases, gives them plausible deniability.

[GTO]

The roads aren't race tracks. If you tell me to drive from Churchgate to Breach Candy in 15 minutes (as an example), I will also drive more dangerously than I would have. I agree with the police's notice, but don't know how that will solve anything. These app-based services (including Uber) fundamentally reward those who can do more in less time.

[KL01toKA03]

How do these companies manage in other countries? Do they create similar problems, or do they follow some other model? I guess the customers would expect quick delivery everywhere. What do other countries do to stop reckless driving? I don't know the exact answers to these questions, but I guess they just enforce all laws strictly, so that everyone drives better.

My advice to the Mumbai police would be to shut up and do their job properly.