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Amazon opens a rewards program for Flex delivery drivers
The perks include an easier way for contractors to claim shifts along with a cashback debit card.
Amazon asks delivery drivers to verify their identities with selfies
Amazon is asking its delivery drivers to take selfies so it can verify their identities using facial recognition. The rules apply to drivers in the Amazon Flex program, through which they make deliveries with their own cars as independent contractors, the company confirmed to The Verge.
Amazon expands its airborne shipping fleet to 50 planes
Amazon's famous drones have yet to deliver much of anything, but its jets are a different story. After launching Prime Air in 2016 with 40 jets, the company appears to have renamed it "Amazon Air" and added 10 more Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft. It now flies Amazon Air out of 20 different gateway airports "making two-day shipping possible almost anywhere in the US," the company said.
Amazon is growing its on-demand delivery service
Amazon has invited its Flex drivers to sign up for its expanded "on-demand" delivery service that handles standard packages, according to Reuters. The e-commerce giant launched its Flex program in September 2015 for the quick shipping and handling of common household items sold through Prime Now in select cities. It's comprised of contractors who need to log in through their apps whenever they're on duty, hence the comparison to Uber. Now, Amazon is apparently looking to start using their services to deliver other goods sold through the website.
Amazon Flex is really an Uber for high-speed deliveries
When word got out about Amazon Flex, it wasn't clear exactly how it worked. Was it a pick-it-up-yourself service? Not really, as it turns out. The online retailer has finally taken the wraps off of Flex, and it's ultimately an Uber-like service that has on-demand contractors delivering your Prime Now orders. Like with ridesharing, couriers have to bring their own car and install an app on their phone that notifies them of gigs -- the difference, of course, is that they're transporting packages instead of people. Recruits make between $18 to $25 per hour, and they can work as much as they want.
Amazon's latest service test has you picking up orders
Amazon has jumped through hoops trying to speed up deliveries, but wouldn't it sometimes make sense to eliminate the last-mile shipping altogether and pick up orders yourself? That might just happen. GeekWire has discovered that Amazon is trying out a new service, Flex, that has you collecting your package from a facility. It's much like a visit to a government office, or Amazon's Purdue pickup spot -- you take a ticket and wait for your turn. The company isn't commenting on Flex (even the test building in Seattle is still in rough shape), but it's safe to say that this would be limited to areas where Amazon can set up distribution centers.
