Take the case of 47-year-old Danny, who drives between 12 and 15 hours a day for more than five days a week. He brings home more than $5,000 a month. While the hours are gruelling, he says it is better than any job he could get without a tertiary education qualification. He was a sales agent for a decade and did a stint in construction before that.
SINGAPORE (July 29): In a Telegram group chat for Deliveroo riders, a member took a screenshot of his earnings generated through the food delivery platform. The screenshot shows that he makes more than $4,000 a month, similar to what many executives would earn. Singapore’s monthly median wage is about $4400, according to data released by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Nov 29, 2018. But, the trade-off for the somewhat lucrative gig is long hours on the road almost daily.
The rider’s account is not an exception among other gig economy workers —loosely described as individuals who work on a short-term or freelance basis instead of being permanently employed. The ridehailing and online food delivery service sectors form a big part of the gig economy. Other private-hire drivers and food delivery service riders share similar experiences of long hours, but they still feel that they do earn more money than full-time jobs.
