Exactly. It's so embedded in the design of their system that it can't just be a known numbers-gaming scenario perpetrated by drivers and delivery center manager

Exactly. It's so embedded in the design of their system that it can't just be a known numbers-gaming scenario perpetrated by drivers and delivery center managers to try to avoid dropping below some performance target. Hence my belief that the first scenario is more probable, that it's an outright fraud perpetrated by upper management.