China: Delivery man works for 18-hours daily, dies on bike while taking nap

A 55-year-old Chinese delivery man died tragically when he was sleeping on his bike after taking a break from his gruelling 18-hour shift.

The death of the delivery man sparked debate over the rights and welfare of delivery drivers across the country.

The incident, which took place in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province in eastern China, started a public debate after it was reported in a widely circulated online video on September 6.

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Media reports citing witnesses said thatthe food delivery man remained at his post from around 9:00 pm (local time) on September 5 till he was discovered by another delivery driver at 1:00 am (local time).

Speaking to Zonglan News, an insider said that the driver's relentless work ethic had earned him the nickname “Order King”.

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He said that the delivery man was able to earn between 500 and 600 yuan (US$70 and US$85) every day and his earnings went to 700 yuan ($98.66) on rainy days.

“He would sometimes work until 3 am, then rise at 6 am to start again. When he felt fatigued, he would take a brief nap on his bike, ready to return to work as soon as an order came in,” Yang said.

Another colleague of the food delivery driver said that the latter had got involved in a traffic accident while delivering an order recently and suffered a leg fracture.

The delivery man was not only earning for himself but was also supporting his 16-year-old son. His elder son was married and had children.

Responding to the incident, the Xianlin Sub-district Office in Yuhang district in an official statement said that the delivery man had “collapsed and died despite emergency treatment”.

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“The food delivery platform, the insurance company, and the family have reached an agreement. Follow-up arrangements are being carried out in an orderly manner,” the announcement added.

Here's how netizens reacted to the incident

The incident led to a public outrage onsocial media.

“Another ‘Order King’ has fallen. Is there really no way to avoid these tragedies?” wrote one person.

“He was in his 50s, the sole breadwinner of his family, working day and night. May he rest in peace. I hope in his next life, he will not have to race against time like this,” said another.

(With inputs from agencies)