"Food Delivery Drivers See Their Future as Risky, Uncertain", 15 September 2024

Delivery drivers rushed at the chance to earn high salaries at flexible hours, but now they wonder how long they can stand the risks of upsetting customers or getting in a traffic accident.

When Tang Liheng, 32, was struggling to find a job in Siem Reap, he joined food delivery company NHAM24 as a driver, knowing customers would consistently want meals delivered to their door.

He came into the job hoping it would be temporary, but since he first put on the green jacket, he’s had little time to develop his work skills between picking up orders from restaurants and dropping them off to customers…

Cambodia’s food delivery industry has rapidly grown in the last five years, with more than a dozen companies operating across major cities, including Phnom Penh, Kampot, Kep, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, … The Covid-19 pandemic, which involved lockdowns and curfews in major cities, spurred customers to increasingly order on mobile and web apps like FoodPanda, NHAM24, e-Gets and others.

… But Ratana noted that wasn’t the only risk he faces: if the order takes too long because of traffic or distance, the customers blame the driver...

… The three delivery drivers said they saw this career as a temporary gig for them, saying that the challenges do not make the job sustainable in the long run.

… Iv Samnang, a consultant who specialises in human resources, explained that food delivery drivers face two kinds of risks: one was instability of employment, while the other type of risks related to physical injury.

Food delivery companies could take steps to address both types of risks, Samnang told ...