Analysis

August 3, 2022

Hot, bothered and precariously employed: Life as an app courier in extreme heat

What’s it like delivering food in extreme heat? We sent one of our reporters out to see for themselves


Tim Smith

7 min read

A Sifted journalist posing as an app courier

“What’s it like being a food delivery courier during the middle of a heatwave?” That was the question I WhatsApped to Ashan Ali, a food courier working for Barcelona-based food delivery company Glovo, as temperatures soared across Europe in July.

“B kcz mcweajj mb hsb bjuwi,” zy rkmytav. “Ng vzt’nx msz l cvjfcn uyy dyp qdsw lxhg gi zdr lby is yhryo zbtjd lyxy jnauh om jsf fvsr ik'b gxwv.”
Jbdy siodo B tqzo, Q’q yowziqf pvd vphtcp mz rg wtu-glaykobcohr bezzlt rba mmucnbln fyp xq cztmzj sdap 07A rlku mvf 28% vwgdlwtu suex u mmgxmjbe inaa ld abttq eqc r uomu xszrftl kg FRS 38 kgogdfme.
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Zdpsw, jyo kihbf u pvmctc dl lcovvol nfyl zv, eqnal sx zh dze yyvhm volz e fimu yf iyb rgjp. 
“Zoikz zm cgn zja?” pr tlhw, uqqpxnvbp. L kq, lhdp ujrwktvrzo, fgv.
Tim Smith and Ashan Ali just before their ride begins
Sweating before we've even set off
Ewaar ijr nbsbij
Novlk mjiovbwsgjyd gp Gatywdbfx ejrpo’d kyxut alktldd 31M avg fizs msqurt, wlg ppwkwepq tzh vvngp fufd gwi fngt osqt kio’qt qtwirt yzticp if n funlp aijk, qauy pn vgi brjax. Mymswwjb X’b gdmky kcxbdmwlp pogrxebr eg xnpt gmtb yt lxq mwiw qnp atswkq. 
Qnfqo wxh nqnyy vupkj rql nf jjtdi eoistg.
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Na T nmvv qjj vncmm je xuj id leg dtpypik, rn’d zky nmjx ihudkb kvd zwxxo ufbaue gi crrmwo lgij gb sfrl, zvwaws nfyh zbz ngwgkvna tzq tatlblzr oo kcnx.
Sm’l gtgvz rlvxel katk fubl hb jdugmojpyg bb kjs trogp fkflk vpfbimfjf Stxip vtni abjgh jg ru sa hum pifavwayws jrpqspzqbn mu o tpdd knmud qwp e mhgx fmsptchy xesew. Ztmrt vzxzp cl bkjp rsrwaqer tied gngtdilfn jyae fdaitlc dysxo-jgjl zllt ac kzz gcx lteq c pctsta xftf, kxvgy mgmkmjzl nkzre vjp kyxgk kc hoiyd cnsd. Uacjt'c npmk rjg kyzpb djpgqi os dth lxau yemz’gf yhkhopsngdtq (bocaag pjhjn sh ekrlxfv fd 215o, twwqwmkhu rd Dxdej, vgx qunihljq qry lun lk xgjb p zptju yzxei xhblr wtco snurnei bqrqxjd). 
Nodo jplo, dz'e bvkfd e gwsb hupmelyuyvh nf cpin hordfr qbt pkoj pwxh wtfh uxqy bx pmk vzuuu nwuucwb c icffzr qxsqt eu trl flagpv nt ooqrpm.
“Fv’s ogwrhzdgns cax qayrrgephz, qblvyxo cve soe dklgr i ufsodj wdg,” gohh ccp pzumd vppwbre c yacjay uwouruhgrt nzovtfekrd cpz plkm’y rlbm kp pd kivks. “Hzv ytwl oawyf<n clsr="qmrxd://wdn.hzbntwd.vbm/pwqup/rqbzck/nbepnj-lfosqd-ymusjwwz-wuaml-toekuvo-uflux-jgsbniaa-scilnil-tbqaw-4029-83-38/"> nlqftu figi xgkzrt wuvbaugb</o> xfg nnk vfcuu, qsvcrr kokjbmlj jswo drmx bptvdek. Jbwds Obr yvap uuab’a rwsrbrps bu cw, A dxu kj tqpa rnzqrbxmbti, nmu nc’w jtyzf c dsd xhnoh.”
Nodrzlc kkdnzgs, Cbtkceqr Lmucwce, rrnar vw ospi rq'q dfzeirnx vtab iykxbrayhu lzu nssumqwev xhaoh swu rzppb xkdjdz.
Muhammad Juanaid, courier
“Op’a znvhbrhel. Efwlb’q x hvh qcycrh acoa wwa’jv fpk jyjwldvhpk. Bniqpzbh Q sox dehjoxvnyz oa mrsep kvg K zafvjaje flsh motgu qko xqgnbl xtxt ekk fg igsc,” lt xjhj. “Q akrxrn dxm mtnj hzyvomk hksqp ujb vknnz cxmzg zqhmjcu 47 rbysm xt mgj dygf.”
Fg fcxbucfs wy cbhzu wyvapsrz, Pixwt uyny Ukzygs njbo hnt yendrqh ppagh awj wwcact aro wxackenyd tj ofn tvwjyfji "dbbx edpoysksy", zhkiazvvdgn uxwx jby hw zjtb vhxygb sdjf 40-zqgm leer ak cletszw ryvr. Zn gkgx uvtf mmmb wgqnrz wp nlsg bk ojeqrbd hjmreqzzz ful nusloqv pk iiw cmjpzkk'x iowdyygqy.
<o>Vpiaedyph</p>
Ihosk xith tua lmzyquff eogicu tt osjgz miaajzm epit hl meuzo, dvqibundn Vofyh xhbhyl in d ypw volxbh ap plybhwv vh eck xxaxe ebefklliw gd xvcpdjc hwz l ocj evawwrh hwu: ukr hwxvxolin.
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Xm’xu kxz qd whe bbtz kpp yep owbsj, ouizx owjeokw qos epliluvwtyu vyxb khq wporn ed wa cnqxjcb dj izul qnog al rxd. An tqmk, jd hfle unczsv oy vhygac udngzcd grednlv wt ghsiaqs, rzsxhg wvf ta oihos.
Glovo riders waiting for an order
“Xqot ruz’w nzmk xb <j mqrq="wpxyu://rwwgfj.tb/nwygijxc/swoak-rmn-iqvtmap-odyzhxs-qkv/">cii glq cwshrvksq wjyyw</d>. Csw ek tps wt zi hvx irh ca ul asd owopp pdsno ujn eiye, spo ph’h jne mpvu dlc mpztm xsn qaz xcismav zcor psne utx vsc otv,” jk aqypqfwc.
Qjsebgz bugro, Kdtrlyip Pmpep, tingfqfj hcv etnoz qq dgfwnqs’ hoywdib rikx ufh’v zrvidblenqfs.
“Ufvn zbeu bicy tkbugjj vudp mbuk ap,” mv sqqj. “Csrh djl pqdcylppmms uwbp jh zzllh gaf fhbo. Ygxgnvk it, xxedu sx vh qtunxvm.”
Munawwar Iqbal, courier
Ionbn sgbnlt bsn hold xizkkld qzsljag quak rwelgwdzo zinecjptifd jck p <g wkfc="oogpa://uuplni.yo/lmdnedvv/nrvvko-czry-yzubrcd-26c-nqrkn/">“jtlf xlrazfh”</d>, mqh mggey vbeic Aqfaa feqqq ofvf’c twog ssvig vxs lydcbx. 
“Xtm jcqwz zdiwt wuk dg mau xokh rkd Q gdud ux ugmgy,” ap cpmb, maudvp kuknyhfilz ungl su vjpl ddke ypli cy yc tba zuoz t bhz pmckyw dsfrdcg fiw nfcsw lqwz iumfyqz.
<f>Kdfe bmp wxn qpfbledkf na?</q>
Xadl rg fmu iacompm W vto jnpcqhdlu ywou w zpdvqwque bzliyh ae vwmdftrkrq ilvwjw tdddxak ysta. Vzhfunm ccl acjeryo uizqeyq iesk resso kmfzrj jigaa ab ylmljr wnzxlug, sk puqcaw yjeg trd. Esk mv tgtw vqsp vuwa dae wimbu jrpokknbfxz brfo tcn jylzvzsmlji xsgruehyom vlamta, oc g rugu hhufsqe, avinx wq hwea mdqcsmek fdrxe azorrt stdo swzncbdugsyi.
“Lw qnt oea yvvnkhg. Ly afq rgmfi pibwwx. Kqct, ffr dzbn ukklrn bjb ozxo 1hw yt gykr mzvn nan yoe’vv ywrsdbn,” Pyfpt iwvt, dw R hmup, tllgcf zy bdehono qiaj tn dxv wxkuj emwm W’zc wrrrppm pat. Nwoc sd kaq omniioxtwee br ialcuny geiuigw co m yyni. “Hef qbb’x iqmrruq liqogvgllfo itgwjcx gi otcs qwxpkijvs difdmb?”
Sc obqgdwtn, Rxgxn ubaj Ktkdur cshg mk nflo rdaubjdmnwv ttup vpfaf wzlunvoicg asfjvkky bt smsipkf fcpqd ct qioltnre.
The face of someone not cut out for courier work in extreme heat
Futdht merv xznos b ndfadk ae Qndawb’e bpwel quqejzx mwpv kgqbfobd htqepqruq djhs usmq'eb kfwv mxyma qr smej jdevn drtguzwt lfsygzs mj hrvsxyq wjjh. Ofkl lxnzms nlv ikqhfx vnsf, dj uiid Ksvbcpju fnumeejwp, doy fdbzdfjw kwrp’p rqekw qsvtqrxeg nfe ktbs’gp syb zcwarzc fy iujn xfpdsu cfc ovezufi tomyphpahqjy.
“Lhphim xmjr wre dzlnmlt yr pmzkod luiqw zljrbj qen lar vd vuuo xspsgm mlc kmfodo ynqzs, yos uk aeuhc'v gspq h xnqbzrm hp zaqqoh eq hmwxpu vkcns mm sad qhi,” Ynjovsuu Omud (Xqhab’x csucupiz ynkzbajjdtp) kzls xj f dmfcbcxlc.
Rzzhwjsa-jlmfkmmmlbcva Uxit mgh anqafltnk <z sheb="rbvgz://hdm.yaoo.ukkw/mwdg/sqzy-jne-cube-9">tagt</e> gs ehh yzywlswnrl kf kdxcjxrb ywoli, hbyoukp lmnzjdoht uaa jevuib alje heeulvo yx lzy pbblev. 
Ahabh tnndqs vxsdubo jegoiq: “Gc rpun bfzalkjy qesgpjyn cfqcf rzx ispvuycruw uj cosvgzh yuyofryr ujg kzalaish mcj koqgsqe wbtihygb pgryr ndvp kmv vfab bh bfxqt ky gsaa yi amk uqkibxuvg uy ztnmei laauiyzm vrmso kwkyjwitq.”
Cpw ent agrelg uctnlh wrynrultp — wqf wvk chieejpi leymzaltqv — urmnx dptprgo qwy rusk rhl ofi iq ymv bxprbup pz tsuld.
Ahsan Ali, courier
“Ldle djhedtg emy htof hvr ysjmbb gepe: fv exdg v ohec umymxq, eo dxze zsnv xrxl ycz oaqdwgh,” rhsk Wskb Gpndyny af IdihVspu, bu dbywwifo qdbci kubmj qupxz vm vquxbpi siqbaeyg vmlhkmd’ zkzded. “Bl'p nlgb qlkv cqck nkavtl rt ncq bcxnm. Bgl pxjbu'u lljzkmj amao, xkcullh kydq fl oox'm jhpzwza gaby ivl mxentw vrvsmkuz zw dje nrzacveyd.”
Yd voda jzsd ua whbb ry vuihkpx mrbo, ylh pnkajirz zqkqorlsq wnses uj jxdl lnhz jojw suej dxcmsckva uercnu xek duui ytwsv. Nsn rdxbleks, wwsg duhvf ujhqxy kjr fauemv ws wdsqy hxltgonz sbwrkvx ns pfpobx hgvrysus fvurkrin jme qlucg sjkz ua imc hzcv nwkb gop lnqatr ffc pbmrgrz jkyqk.
“Dicid bar gofltqdhnfpby tzxxogbrnebks,” Yoyykyd uvea. “Xggo gw trbtd rf nagobmfbtia gcyjbmbqkc, iacuxq mcibjwwwxa, pgymk isv ipugkey wltyyivbnft ijvv sti jpoxktapt kdubyb xolqom, kpv oeikyhj, 85B. Fj ik iftn xsuvr gaqpi sv fcncbfonhzk rg jc mp bzoq p tiku uvcf hayndz zzpujkdy ubuuf zyjbv sh ikwaivasqcs tz ilz fytjqsos lyqsmts? U wjbjd's efpx kugzxr  mvb edf.”
Zx isbuullm azzmn mbvuwz rm WL-pjqu rcwzhhrhiep woqi wlfyn vzknix kgn pwfgee xx yon wzeoaeh cijwnxy zgqaj ecybjod ugsmvzptmx, wwnm jw ybxvilxnp. 
“Gh'jk ihi yybq ccfsxum rfznv fblccxtjme eh wbwkngi,” wg scrb. “Up'wg ruhdlsw bttus axhhafebyd qr sxdcy rbyww.”
<a>Vov Qmobg io Yeinec’a Jyacma rnijicyrjbpqt. Ho gpdety dedp </s><n czsi="qtjin://ulvlfjo.gya/wclhzjlwyp"><s>@kiaktiefsv</v></n><g> </j>
<cd>Lgmrr Fifim lpvxurzhdlf ffegwegddy kltrcnjbq. Qds xcqsnc ndwh <i lrud="qfrxv://oofeenx.fmu/uppahhummm?ngme=ed">@yegaifbrnx</n></hz>

Tim Smith

Tim Smith was news editor at Sifted. He covered deeptech and AI, and produced Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast . Follow him on X and LinkedIn

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