Delivery drivers are busy delivering Tet holiday goods amidst the cold, rainy weather.

Delivery was delayed.

Ms. Doan Thi Huong from Vinh City, ashipperA veteran of a fairly well-known delivery brand said, "These days, I sometimes forget about lunchtime and dinnertime while delivering orders, trying to earn extra money for Tet (Lunar New Year), because the number of orders has almost doubled compared to normal days."

Ms. Huong said that the company she works for specializes in transporting and delivering goods, and they have a contract with delivery staff based on a profit-sharing arrangement based on the daily volume of products delivered. The delivery staff are assigned to specific areas, wards, and communes. Ms. Huong is part of a delivery team in Hung Dung ward, Vinh City, consisting of 6 people, each primarily delivering to 3-6 neighborhoods or hamlets.

Due to the cold, rainy weather, delivery drivers had to wear multiple layers of warm clothing and raincoats to protect themselves from the cold and their packages. Photo: NK

"We deliver the goods and earn a fixed commission; the company pays us 3000 VND per order. On average, I deliver about 90-100 orders a day. During the period leading up to Tet, especially after the Kitchen God and Stove God festival, the number of orders skyrockets, sometimes doubling or even doubling," said Ms. Huong.

According to Hương's fellow delivery drivers, the period leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year) is an opportunity to increase income, sometimes doubling it to have a more prosperous holiday. However, to achieve that, the delivery team has to work through lunchtime, and even until late at night before resting.

“During Tet (Lunar New Year), the roads are much busier than usual. We have to carry a large amount of goods on the back of our motorbikes, drive, and constantly make phone calls to confirm addresses and schedule appointments with customers, so it's often exhausting. There are days when we forget to eat lunch, only drinking a carton of milk to keep delivering orders on time. Eating too quickly or making do with meager meals is a frequent occurrence. I'm from Thanh Hoa province, and my wife and I rent a room in Vinh to earn money to support our children. We want to take advantage of the end of the year to deliver all orders so that we can return home on the 29th of Tet to reunite with our family and our two children who are being looked after by their grandparents,” shared Phan Van Hoan, a shipper renting a room on Phong Dinh Cang Street, Ben Thuy Ward (Vinh City).

Delivery driver working through lunchtime. Photo taken at 12:40 PM on Ngo Quyen Street, Hung Dung Ward, Vinh City. Photo: NK

Shipping service prices have increased.

Besides professional delivery drivers who work year-round, there are also special occasions.TetAmateur delivery drivers are also "in season" as the demand for transporting and delivering flowers, plants, and food increases. Along Le Nin Street, running from the center of Vinh city and other streets where selling flowers and plants is permitted, in addition to customers, there is also a large number of delivery drivers.

Mr. Nguyen Van Cong from Nghi Phu commune said that he makes a living farming all year round, but during Tet (Lunar New Year), he modifies some parts of his family's existing motorbike to deliver flowers and ornamental plants to earn extra income.

“Along the 72-meter stretch of road at the intersection with Lenin Street, there are many peach blossom and kumquat trees for sale this year. I live near this area, so it's quite convenient. It's already the 25th day of the 12th lunar month, but the demand for peach blossoms and kumquats is lower than last year, so I only earn an average of 500,000 to 600,000 VND per day. Today, it's both rainy and cold, and from morning until almost 10 am, I haven't had a single customer hire me to transport them,” Mr. Cong said.

Mr. Cong added that on weekdays, including Saturdays and Sundays, he also ships flowers and ornamental plants to some dealers along Le Nin Street, but the quantity is not large and the prices are only half of what they are during Tet (Lunar New Year). This is because on weekdays, customers mainly buy small-sized flowers and ornamental plants, and most of them transport them themselves in their personal vehicles.

Delivery drivers race against the weather to deliver flowers and ornamental plants in Vinh City. Photo: NK

According to peach and kumquat vendors along this route, delivery drivers like Mr. Cong usually wait at flower and plant stalls. The service price is negotiated between the shippers and customers. Within Vinh City, the price ranges from 100,000 to 200,000 VND per delivery. For larger plants, the transportation cost is higher depending on the type of plant, requiring specialized vehicles or pickup trucks.

For shippers working for delivery companies, there are also freelance shippers who mainly deliver to acquaintances, online small businesses, or private shops. On weekdays, delivery fees within Vinh City range from 10,000 to 15,000 VND per order, depending on the distance. The majority of goods shipped are beverages, snacks, and pre-prepared food items such as chicken, fish, and vegetables.

During the period leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), due to a surge in orders, freelance shippers are often overwhelmed, and many have to refuse orders because of the requirement to deliver on the exact date and time. Therefore, delivery service prices also increase by about 50% - 70%, averaging 20-25 thousand VND per order.

“For example, on the 23rd day of the lunar month, during the Tet Ong Cong Ong Tao (Kitchen God) festival, the number of orders for sticky rice cakes and glutinous rice balls increases 3-4 times compared to normal days, and most customers request delivery in the morning, so the shippers I call have to refuse many orders. Therefore, I have to mobilize my husband and children to deliver the goods to customers,” said Ms. Luu Thi Yen, who runs a restaurant on Phan Chu Trinh Street, Quang Trung Ward.

The sight of delivery drivers has become a familiar one on the streets. Photo: NK

On January 16, 2023, corresponding to the 25th day of the Lunar New Year (Year of the Rabbit), the weather in Nghe An turned cold with drizzling rain and biting winds, making delivery work very difficult for them. Most of them work using motorbikes and frequently make phone calls and travel outdoors, so they have to protect the goods from getting wet and affecting their quality. Furthermore, if they accidentally drop, break, dent, or wet the goods during delivery, the shipper has to compensate for the damage.

Therefore, even though service prices increase during Tet (Lunar New Year), delivery workers face higher risks, including health risks, as they struggle in the rain and sun, and risk traffic accidents while traveling on the roads.