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Amazon will hire 100,000 workers to keep up with the surge in demand
To keep up with a "significant increase in demand" due to the coronavirus outbreak, Amazon is hiring an additional 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers in the US. As more people turn to online shopping in an attempt to stay home (and because grocery stores are struggling to keep shelves stocked), Amazon says its labor needs are unprecedented for this time of year.
Uber Eats waives delivery fees for over 100,000 independent restaurants
In response to the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the restaurant industry, Uber Eats is waiving delivery fees for over 100,000 independent restaurants across the US and Canada. It's the latest move by gig-economy businesses like Uber, Lyft and Grubhub to help alleviate some of the financial challenges that the coronavirus outbreak presents.
After Math: How COVID-19 is already clobbering 2020
Welp, we had a good run, America. While every other developed nation on the planet scrambles to defend itself against the deadly spread of COVID-19, the US had to be dragged into fielding a response. This year everything is cancelled. Schools have been shuttered, universities have migrated to online classes, and group gatherings larger than a couple hundred people are being postponed. Major league sports might be back sometime next year, workers are being asked to work from home and engage in social distancing to help slow the coronavirus' spread. Oh, you think it's a hoax? Then how do you explain all of this week's headlines about the coronavirus?
Postmates and Instacart introduce 'no contact' deliveries
First it was Uber's Quiet Cars, and now the socially avoidant can get their Postmates without actually seeing anyone. The company added "Dropoff Options" to its delivery service without mentioning the growing coronavirus outbreak by name, but clearly looking to service folks who, for one reason or another, would prefer to have as little contact with others as possible. As it is, the options include meeting at curbside, front door, or no-contact where they're left at the door. On Friday Instacart also launched "Leave at my door" delivery for its grocery dropoffs, mimicking changes seen in China as the virus continued to spread, albeit without the temperature readings of everyone who was involved in preparation or delivery.
US DOT approves Nuro's next-gen driverless delivery vehicle design
Today, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) approved a regulatory exemption for Nuro's next-generation self-driving delivery vehicle, R2. The exemption allows Nuro to begin public road testing and to prepare for deliveries to customers' homes.
Instacart employees in Chicago are the first to unionize in the US
Gig economy workers may have won an important, if conditional, battle in their push for better conditions. Instacart employees in the Chicago suburb of Skokie have voted to unionize through their local branch of United Food and Commercial Workers, giving them more collective bargaining power than they had before. The move only covers 15 staffers who operate at the Mariano's grocery store, but it's the first time Instacart employees have unionized in the US and could affect issues like turnover rates, work pacing and mysterious employee rating algorithms.
Waymo's self-driving vans will carry UPS packages in Phoenix
Waymo is expanding its foray into self-driving delivery vehicles. The Alphabet brand is teaming with UPS on a pilot that will have autonomous Chrysler Pacifica vans carry packages in the metro Phoenix area. They'll be shuttling cargo from UPS Stores to the courier's Tempe processing hub, not directly to customers, but they will drive on their own. A human will stay aboard to keep watch over operations.
Yale Home aims to fend off porch pirates with its smart delivery box
Whenever you're not home and a delivery driver leaves a package on your porch, there's a chance that an opportunistic thief will amble by and snag the box. In a bid to help protect your stuff, Yale Home is releasing a smart delivery box.
California allows 'light-duty' self-driving delivery vehicles
Self-driving delivery vehicles could soon become a relatively common sight on California streets. The state's Department of Motor Vehicles will allow "light-duty" autonomous delivery vehicles under 10,001lbs for testing and commercial uses. Companies will need permits that vary depending on whether or not a backup driver is involved, but this will allow everything from modified passenger cars to purpose-built vans to carry groceries, pizza orders and other forms of cargo.
Domino's GPS-powered pizza tracking is available in many more places
Earlier this year, Domino's Pizza said it would let you track your pizza deliveries using GPS. And, well, the company is now delivering on that promise. Domino's announced today that approximately a quarter of its locations across the US will have the technology in place by the end of this year. In 2020, a "significant portion" of Domino's remaining locations will allow you to track your order through the company's mobile app.
Alexa can reorder your go-to Chipotle meal
It just became disconcertingly easy to have Mexican food show up at your door. Chipotle has introduced an Alexa skill that lets you reorder your favorite meals for delivery. If you're fond of a particular burrito bowl, you can have it sent without lifting a finger. You can't start an order from scratch, unfortunately, but it beats having to wade through the mobile app when you're already starving.
Washington, DC sues DoorDash for allegedly misleading users about tips
DoorDash's change in tipping policy has come too late to avoid legal repercussions. The District of Columbia Attorney General has sued DoorDash over claims it not only stiffed couriers (aka Dashers) through its tipping practices, but misled customers about where tips go. As DoorDash used tip money to replace a courier's base pay rather than add to it, that worker's pay wouldn't change for any tip under $10 -- but customers didn't know that, according to the District. The messaging in DoorDash's app and FAQ was reportedly "ambiguous, confusing and misleading," leading customers to believe that delivery people were being paid extra like "any reasonable consumer" would expect.
Instacart cuts quality bonuses for couriers
Instacart is still embroiled in pay disputes despite past dramas. Motherboard has learned that Instacart is scrapping a $3 quality bonus it provides to shoppers who receive five-star ratings. The incentive "did not meaningfully improve quality," according to email sent to workers, and will disappear on November 11th. There's no mention of a replacement. The timing is definitely raising concerns among workers, however.
Costco and Instacart are testing one-hour prescription deliveries
People on the west coast who need medication quickly might be able to get their medication delivered in as little as 60 minutes. Costco and Instacart are testing prescription deliveries in Washington and California.
CVS starts delivering prescriptions to homes via UPS drones
It didn't take long for UPS and CVS to start delivering prescriptions by drone. The two have confirmed that they completed their first paid home deliveries of prescriptions, hauling medicine to two homes (one of which was a retirement community) in Cary, North Carolina on November 1st. The drones flew autonomously and lowered the packages to the ground with a cable and winch, although there was a human operator ready to take control.
NVIDIA's AI will help USPS handle packages 10 times faster
The US Postal Service (USPS) delivers an estimated 146 billion pieces of mail annually, including 6 billion packages. In an attempt to process package data more efficiently, USPS is experimenting with AI. Today, NVIDIA announced that it will provide USPS with its AI tech. NVIDIA claims its system will process package data 10-times faster and with higher accuracy.
Amazon Fresh deliveries are now free for Prime members
Amazon is ditching its $14.99 a month Amazon Fresh fee for Prime members. Prime subscribers in the 2,000 US cities where the fresh food delivery service is offered can use it for free and take advantage of new one- and two-hour delivery windows. Shopping from Whole Foods is also an option here, and it's subject to the same quick delivery times. You can sign up here but you'll have to wait for an invitation -- as Amazon says, "We expect this will be a popular benefit."
UPS and CVS plan to deliver prescriptions via drone
UPS isn't going to let Wing's team-ups with FedEx and Walgreens go unanswered. The company has reached an agreement with CVS Pharmacy to create a "variety" of drone delivery uses, including delivering prescriptions and other goods to homes. Neither company provided a timeline for when you might see these drones in action, although UPS recently became the first company with FAA approval to operate a drone airline.
Amazon cuts off three delivery companies publicly linked to deaths
Amazon has cut ties with three delivery contractors that were recently implicated in multiple deaths by a joint BuzzFeed News and ProPublica investigation. According to state documents obtained by the two publications, those companies now plan to lay off more than 2,000 employees, and in two of three cases, stop delivering packages for the e-commerce giant. The investigation that BuzzFeed News and ProPublica completed in September found the three companies -- Inpax Shipping Solutions, Sheard-Loman Transport and Letter Ride LLC -- often employed drivers with little experience and put them in difficult working conditions.
UPS delivery drones are on the way after FAA certification
UPS might soon be dropping off packages across the US by drone. The Federal Aviation Administration granted the UPS Flight Forward subsidiary air carrier and operator certification, allowing it to use drones for commercial deliveries.
