I work for them and have done for about 6 months as a cyclist. The big thing that really gets me is to do with insurance. As a cyclist courier, it's not possible to get public liability insurance. No one is willing to insure you on your bike if you're a courier. I have insurance as a normal cyclist, but it's invalid as a courier.
Because we are "self employed" (I don't think we are) Deliveroo refuse to provide insurance for their cyclists. So their cyclists are uninsured and are completely unable to get insurance. I assure you, 100% all of their cyclists are out on the roads without insurance. I raised the issue with them, and took it to the head of driver operations. I was basically laughed out the door, and was told that cycling without insurance is "just something you have to do" and I need to be braver. Madness. Their cyclists are out on the roads unprotected, and I feel sorry for any motorists a cyclist runs into, because they're not going to get any insurance money.
After I had raised my concerns and complaints, I had my hours reduced and didn't receive any more online tips from customers, something I don't feel is a coincidence. This is a terrible company, and they treat their staff like dirt. I really hope they start treating their staff better, and sort out their insurance because at the moment the way they operate is awful, and I think probably illegal.
It's an old problem. It is often said that if riders were insured and had normal employment conditions, the industry would collapse. Some people are trying to get couriers unionised:
I work for them and have done for about 6 months as a cyclist. The big thing that really gets me is to do with insurance. As a cyclist courier, it's not possible to get public liability insurance. No one is willing to insure you on your bike if you're a courier. I have insurance as a normal cyclist, but it's invalid as a courier.
Because we are "self employed" (I don't think we are) Deliveroo refuse to provide insurance for their cyclists. So their cyclists are uninsured and are completely unable to get insurance. I assure you, 100% all of their cyclists are out on the roads without insurance. I raised the issue with them, and took it to the head of driver operations. I was basically laughed out the door, and was told that cycling without insurance is "just something you have to do" and I need to be braver. Madness. Their cyclists are out on the roads unprotected, and I feel sorry for any motorists a cyclist runs into, because they're not going to get any insurance money.
After I had raised my concerns and complaints, I had my hours reduced and didn't receive any more online tips from customers, something I don't feel is a coincidence. This is a terrible company, and they treat their staff like dirt. I really hope they start treating their staff better, and sort out their insurance because at the moment the way they operate is awful, and I think probably illegal.