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Amazon is pulling a fast one here, and The Verge is letting them get away with it. Here’s the key part: > it’s also been building out a network of its own deli

Amazon is pulling a fast one here, and The Verge is letting them get away with it. Here’s the key part: > it’s also been building out a network of its own delivery drivers under the Amazon Flex platform, which is a kind of on-demand contract network similar to Uber and food delivery companies like DoorDash. So, in fact Amazon is not delivering their own packages, they are employing an ad-hoc network of local truckers to deliver their packages. This is in contrast to FedEx and UPS, who employ the men and women who leave boxes on your doorstep. This matters because: > (Amazon Flex has been plagued by damning reports that the high demands it places on Flex drivers have directly contributed to automobile fatalities.) I’m sure Amazon intends to build out a full shipping network, which is the only way to optimize both quality and cost in shipping. The reality is, they are still a long way from doing so.

uoaei 7y ago
Some of the most unsafe driving I've seen is from those Amazon Sprinter vans. I blame Amazon more than the driver.
- kevingadd 7y ago
  If reporting is to believed, Amazon puts a lot of pressure on delivery partners which contributes to the problem, and is happy to partner with companies that are poorly run and incredibly risky. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/carolineodonovan/amazon-next-day-delivery-deaths https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/carolineodonovan/amazon...
- banana_giraffe 7y ago
  The office complex I work at had a major tenant leave a while ago, leaving a building empty and a parking lot empty. This parking lot is now full of these Amazon delivery vans. God help you if you try to make it into or out of the parking lot on foot during their rush to start deliveries, or worse, when they're getting back. I feel bad for these workers, they're clearly stressed out, but I can only feel so bad after almost getting flattened a few times.
- colejohnson66 7y ago
  Are you sure that’s not partly confirmation bias’ fault?
analog31 7y ago
Indeed, one of the companies that Amazon hires is USPS.
dbg31415 7y ago
And... it's so much worse for customers than the old system. Every package I order used to get here in 2 days. Now they can't get it right, and every time I make an order I get an email saying, "Oh, we're sorry it's delayed a day or two!" So Prime is now taking 3-4 days on average to get to me. I'm in the suburbs, sure... but the point remains, the old system worked better. I wouldn't even care if it took 3-4 days, if it just advertised it was going to take 3-4 days... it's crap for them to say, "Be there on the 12th!" and not get here until the 16th. And yeah, I mean... to the original point, these guys look stressed. They're not "professional" delivery guys, half the time it's some guy without a uniform in a a minivan. Looks like just a sub-sub-sub-contractor. So what's the solution? Do I stop using Amazon? Pretty hard this day and age. I don't know, but it's sure been bad service the last 5-6 months.
massysett 7y ago
The entire FedEx Ground network is run by contractors, from the over-the-road truckers to the final delivery drivers.
mbesto 7y ago
Amazon arguably has the worst possible externalities associated with it, in terms of both gravity and large scale potential. It is the epitome of consumerism and has every early sign of leading towards an "Autofac"[0] dystopia. [0] - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6902176/?ref_=ttep_ep8 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6902176/?ref_=ttep_ep8

uoaei 7y ago

Some of the most unsafe driving I've seen is from those Amazon Sprinter vans. I blame Amazon more than the driver.

kevingadd 7y ago
If reporting is to believed, Amazon puts a lot of pressure on delivery partners which contributes to the problem, and is happy to partner with companies that are poorly run and incredibly risky. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/carolineodonovan/amazon-next-day-delivery-deaths https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/carolineodonovan/amazon...
banana_giraffe 7y ago
The office complex I work at had a major tenant leave a while ago, leaving a building empty and a parking lot empty. This parking lot is now full of these Amazon delivery vans. God help you if you try to make it into or out of the parking lot on foot during their rush to start deliveries, or worse, when they're getting back. I feel bad for these workers, they're clearly stressed out, but I can only feel so bad after almost getting flattened a few times.
colejohnson66 7y ago
Are you sure that’s not partly confirmation bias’ fault?

analog31 7y ago

Indeed, one of the companies that Amazon hires is USPS.

dbg31415 7y ago

And... it's so much worse for customers than the old system. Every package I order used to get here in 2 days. Now they can't get it right, and every time I make an order I get an email saying, "Oh, we're sorry it's delayed a day or two!" So Prime is now taking 3-4 days on average to get to me. I'm in the suburbs, sure... but the point remains, the old system worked better. I wouldn't even care if it took 3-4 days, if it just advertised it was going to take 3-4 days... it's crap for them to say, "Be there on the 12th!" and not get here until the 16th. And yeah, I mean... to the original point, these guys look stressed. They're not "professional" delivery guys, half the time it's some guy without a uniform in a a minivan. Looks like just a sub-sub-sub-contractor. So what's the solution? Do I stop using Amazon? Pretty hard this day and age. I don't know, but it's sure been bad service the last 5-6 months.

massysett 7y ago

The entire FedEx Ground network is run by contractors, from the over-the-road truckers to the final delivery drivers.

mbesto 7y ago

Amazon arguably has the worst possible externalities associated with it, in terms of both gravity and large scale potential. It is the epitome of consumerism and has every early sign of leading towards an "Autofac"[0] dystopia. [0] - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6902176/?ref_=ttep_ep8 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6902176/?ref_=ttep_ep8