NUS Students Show Support For PMD Food Delivery Riders, Urge Companies To ‘Take Care’ Of Them

The PMD ban has far-reaching consequences, and even now, you can still feel the shockwaves.

Here’s a brief recap in case you’ve missed it:

With the ban, there are two groups of PMD users that were greatly impacted: PMD food delivery riders and PMD retailers.

While no one really cares about the retailers, plenty of attention were given to food delivery riders.

Even From NUS Students

On 18 Nov 2019, it was reported that more than 100 former and current NUS students showed support for PMD food delivery riders in an open letter.

They noted that food delivery riders have irregular incomes which vary according to how many deliveries that make per day.

It was added that despite how dangerous their jobs are, they have no formal workers’ associations.

They hope that the Government will continue to engage with these workers and adapt their policy as it sees fit.

Some of the suggestions given includes:

• A mandatory licensing regime for PMD deliverers
• Extension of probation period for the ban
• Better road infrastructure to accommodate PMDs

It doesn’t just fall to the Government to make things better.

They’ve also urged food delivery companies to offer better incentives to offset the loss of income caused by slower modes of transports.

This, they say, would incentivise reckless (food delivery) riders to ride safer, since the potential loss in earnings wouldn’t be as much.

They have words for the public too, urging them to have more empathy for affected food delivery riders who might not find it as easy to change jobs.

We Will Not Take Further Actions

If you’re afraid that Singapore will turn into the next Hong Kong (university students rising up), don’t be.

The group of students added that they’re not planning to take further actions beyond the open letter.

Although it was added that they might just visit their respective MPs if any of them wishes to.

Is There Really No Support For PMD Delivery Riders?

If your introduction to the entire saga was through the open letter, you might’ve just come to the conclusion that PMD delivery riders are left to their own devices.

And you’d be wrong.

There are a couple of measures being put into place to transit affected delivery riders to better places.

For one, there’s a $7m grant put aside for PMD food delivery riders.

Basically, PMD food delivery riders can now trade-in their PMD for a grant of $600 (bicycle) or $1,000 (power-assisted bicycles) to continue with their food delivery job.

Applications are opened since 15 Nov 2019 and can be made through their respective food delivery companies.

For another, Grab is giving out a $100 cash bonus for food delivery riders who switch transport.

GrabFood is the heaviest impacted food delivery company with 33% of their fleet made up of PMD riders.

And they’re now offering a cash bonus of $100 for food delivery riders who switch from PMDs to bicycles, PABs, motorcycles or straight-up walking.

And three, NTUC’s getting involved in two different ways.

One way they’re helping out is to partner up with e2i and help food delivery riders, who are looking to stop delivering food, find another job.

The second way is to formally represent food delivery riders as an official union.

They’re currently planning on how to do so.

Some of the topics that will be covered are things like cost of living, children’s education and insurance.

The food delivery riders under the association will also enjoy the usual benefits that other NTUC members enjoy.

So, yes, the PMD ban is painful, but with the support that Singapore is showing to PMD food delivery riders, I’m pretty sure everyone will pull through.

And where’s the love for PMD retailers?