Original title: What can we do for the takeaway boy (Exploring People's Livelihood on the Frontline · Zero Distance for Takeaways ③)

Core Reading

In recent years, the ranks of takeaways have continued to grow. The number has exceeded 5 million, mostly post-80s and post-90s. Companies have begun providing assistance to takeaways and their families for serious illnesses, accidents, and student aid. Various regions are also improving social security systems to add protection to them.

I woke up early in the morning, didn't finish washing, and the breakfast I had ordered was delivered; as the sun set, I wanted to eat hot pot at home, and it was delivered in half an hour; at the beginning of the moon, if I wanted to order a fried chicken beer, just a few moments later, hot fried chicken appeared at the door... In modern cities, life is becoming more and more convenient, and we can sit back and enjoy many services without leaving our homes. And behind this, there is the takeaway boy who is busy.

What kind of group is this? Are they doing well? What can we do for them?

Who are they

The 80s and 90s played the main role as takeaways

Meituan has 2.7 million registered riders online; Hungry Hummingbird Delivery has more than 3 million registered riders online. As the two most important takeout platforms in China, they include almost all takeout boys. So, what is the group image of a group of over 5 million takeaways?

According to the “2018 Takeaway Rider Employment Report” released by Meituan Research Institute, Meituan has more than 2.7 million registered riders, 77% of riders from rural areas, of which 57% are from rural areas and 20% are from local rural areas. In particular, Henan, Anhui, Sichuan, Guangdong, and Jiangsu are the provinces that contributed a large share of riders, and the five provinces contributed more than 40% of the country's riders.

Riders come from all over the world, but riders from different regions have their own preferences as to which city they choose. For example, riders working in Beijing mainly come from Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, etc., of which the proportion of riders is as high as 30%; riders working in Shanghai mainly come from places such as Anhui, Henan, Jiangsu, etc., of which the proportion is as high as 29% in Anhui Province. There are also many riders who choose to work at their doorstep. The proportion of riders in the same province of Henan Province is as high as 93%, and the proportion of riders in the same provinces of Anhui, Shanxi, and Jiangxi has reached 90%.

The report also shows that takeaways have obvious youth characteristics. They are mainly post-80s and post-90s, but the proportion of married and childbearing boys is as high as 60%, while only 25% are single. Influenced by the nature of the job, the takeaway boy is a veritable boy. The proportion of men is as high as 92%, and only 8% of riders are women.

Surprisingly, the group of “college student” riders has grown. Although riders are still mainly educated in middle school and high school, the proportion of riders with a college degree has also reached 15%.

As the “first workers” of the new generation of migrant workers based in big cities, riders, a new occupation fueled by the new economy, are attracting more and more people. What is the appeal of riders? Many takeaways said that flexible working hours, guaranteed income, and high degree of freedom are the most important reasons for them to choose riders. Survey data also shows that more than half of riders only work 4 hours a day, and 35% of riders have other sources of income. The job of a takeaway boy has typical characteristics of flexible employment in the sharing economy.

Since last year, as the boundaries of the takeout business have further expanded, the content of rider delivery has also expanded from food delivery and drink delivery to flowers, greenery, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lifestyle supermarkets, with a richer variety of categories. As they wander through the streets, they become the most important capillaries in urban life. Big data from Hummingbird also shows that riders are basically on call 24 hours a day, delivering an average of 48 orders per day, and traveling nearly 150 kilometers.

Are they doing well

50% of children are the main source of household income

Is it good to be a takeaway boy?

The answer is bitter or sweet. Every day I get up early, rain or shine. I can't eat lunch until 2 p.m., and dinner at 8:9 p.m. In response to these hardships, takeaways often only have one phrase, “This is tiring, I can bear it.” What worries them most is the financial pressure from their families.

According to the survey report, 50% of riders are the main source of household income, and even 16% of riders are the full source of household income. In families of married riders, nearly 40% of rider lovers don't go to work and stay in their hometown to take care of children and the elderly. Therefore, riders generally believe that the financial pressure is high, especially riders fighting in big cities. Rent has become the biggest expense, and there is some anxiety.

Pressure is transmitted to work. 45% of riders take more than 20 orders every day, and 40% of riders drive more than 50 kilometers a day. They strive to use their hard work to pave the way for a better life in the future. Zhao Dawei, a researcher at Meituan Research Institute, explained that riders' income is mainly concentrated between 4,000 yuan and 8,000 yuan, and a few riders who are fast and take many orders are capable of more than 10,000 yuan. They use money earned through hard work to help families buy houses, cars, and renovate, and pay for their children's education.

In particular, in the large group of riders, there are also quite a few from poor counties. They are poor households with national file cards. They hope to help the whole family get out of poverty and get rich through their job as riders. Meituan Dianping's Poverty Alleviation Report shows that of the 23,346 Meituan riders from Gansu, 25% were poor people who set up file cards, and 85% of them have already achieved poverty alleviation through self-reliance.

Another thing that worries riders is their future career development. For full-time riders, the ascent channel is quite narrow. Basically, the only path is for riders, captains, and webmasters to regional managers. “Riders are more of a 'youth food'. When they get older, they can't do anything.” Hummingbird delivery agent Zhang Dongdong said that many of our riders spend their free time learning skills and preparing for the future.

What do they need

One care, one convenience, one guarantee

The takeaway boy's hustle and bustle has made life easier for you and me. What else can we do for them?

A concern. “I am very moved by words of concern that are often written on orders, such as keeping warm when it's cold, and riding slowly when it rains a lot.” Remembering that heartwarming sentence, Zhang Dongdong was red-eyed. In fact, the riders' demands on users are simple: they want everyone to write the address clearly and correctly when placing an order, answer and return the phone in a timely manner, and be understanding and tolerant during peak periods and bad weather, and the little brother's heart will be warm. “Of course, we also want everyone not to give us bad reviews because of merchant problems. This has had a huge impact on our wages, and it is also very frustrating.” Zhang Dongdong said.

One concern is the best way to thank the takeaway boy. In 2018, on the Meituan platform alone, there were 250 million orders to thank the little brother, 81 million orders reminded the little brother to be safe, 60 million orders relieved the little brother not to worry, and 40 million orders ordered the little brother to ride slowly in the rain...

A convenient one. As for merchants, the little brother's demands are still very simple: fast delivery, improve the quality of food packaging, avoid food damage, carefully check users' order requirements, set up takeout channels within the store, and have a special person responsible for takeout, etc., all with the aim of completing food delivery tasks efficiently and with high quality. “Of course, we would be happier if the restaurant had a rest area to wait for meals, providing a glass of cool water when it was hot and a glass of hot water when it was cold.” Zhang Dongdong said.

Many merchants have thanked riders with caring meals, free drinks, rest areas, etc. Some merchants stipulate that as long as riders eat, they will always give 40% off. “According to incomplete statistics, the caring meals provided to riders by Meituan platform merchants in 2018 saved riders a total of 17.5 million yuan.” Zhao Dawei said.

One guarantee. Riders run on the road every day, and traffic safety and health are the two biggest concerns of riders' families. “On the one hand, we hope that the country will promote the formulation of reasonable insurance plans for new occupations and establish a multi-level social insurance system to provide more comprehensive protection for takeaways according to the professional environment and industry characteristics.” Zheng Wei, head of the Department of Insurance at Peking University, said that on the other hand, companies, especially platform companies, are also being urged to add a guarantee for takeaways to buy accident insurance.

Many local governments have carried out useful explorations in this regard. In March, Shanghai's Jiading District said that for takeaways who are not covered by employee social insurance, they can voluntarily join a trade union and participate in the “Flexible Employment Member Exclusive Benefit”. The maximum personal benefit amount can reach 60,000 yuan. In July, Chengdu issued the “Trial Implementation Opinions on Promoting Workers in the New Economy and New Business Formats to Participate in Social Insurance”, which suggests that where new economic organizations use part-time workers, the workers themselves participate in basic pension insurance and basic medical insurance for urban workers according to the flexible employment insurance system, and that the new economic organization should participate in workers' injury insurance for them.

Major companies have also begun to take action. Hungry has launched the “World Riding Heart” care program to cover hummingbird riders and their families with 75 types of serious illness and provide student assistance to riders with family difficulties due to accidents or serious illnesses; Meituan launched a charity support program for children of takeaway riders - Kangaroo Baby Charity Program, to provide public welfare assistance for children of takeaway riders across the industry...

As the guardians and creators of a better life in the city, the takeaway boy looks forward to more love and recognition from you and me.