The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us just how vital low-paying job workers truly are, as they’re now part of the heroic front liners who bravely do their duties despite the potential risks that are still present until now.
Such workers include cleaners and delivery riders, who work hard day and night to ensure we are all safe and sound in the comforts of our home. Despite their noble job, it’s sad to say that there are still many people who look down on them, regardless of how important the workers are in our day-to-day life.
The pandemic has also caused many people to lose their job or have their income reduced. In the news, we can see stories of people who were once in a highly regarded profession turning to gig economy jobs to make ends meet, as many companies are still in the “hiring freeze” mode, which means professional jobs are scarce and competition is tougher than ever.
Gig economy workers like riders could earn up to RM1,000 a week
Several months ago a social news portal made a report about a Malaysian business owner who went from earning 6-figure revenues to becoming foodpanda rider just to survive the MCO. He worked around the clock to deliver as many as 300 meals a week, earning up to RM1,000.
The hardworking man also expressed his concern during his time working, where wealthy people would often look down on his line of work despite how essential delivery riders are, being part of the front liners with the likes of doctors and nurses among others.
If you are one of those people who lost their well-paying job and have been looking for a new job ever since but to no avail, you could consider joining the gig economy workforce to earn some income while more job opportunities become available. One of the jobs that you could try is becoming a delivery rider for major delivery service providers like foodpanda and Grab to name a few.
So, how much can you earn as a rider with foodpanda and Grab? And what benefits are being offered? Let’s compare the rates and benefits between these two most well-known delivery service providers:
- foodpanda
In a 2019 NST report, the previous hourly rate for foodpanda riders has been replaced with a new scheme, where riders will be paid based on the number of order, which means those who deliver more will earn more.
According to foodpanda Malaysia managing director Sayantan Das, the payment per order ranges between RM4.50 and RM7, while mentioning that riders could earn RM7,000 to RM10,000 per month. “The minimum earning potential if you work 30 to 40 hours per week can range from RM400 to RM700,” he said in the report.
There are various benefits provided to foodpanda riders, according to a recent NST report, and some of them include:
- SOCSO coverage
- 24-hour insurance coverage
A 24-hour insurance coverage of up to RM20,000 will be provided to cover all active riders from injuries, accidents, and permanent disabilities including death. - Covid-19 coverage
Riders who test positive for Covid-19 will receive RM1,000, in addition to a death benefit of RM5,000 to be paid to the next-of-kin upon the death of a delivery rider from the virus. - Automotive Benefit
All foodpanda riders are eligible for special promotions such as oil filters, bike parts and heavy duty chains among many others, from automotive brands including LiquiMoly, RAPIDO, Shell, Caltex and more. - Skill Enhancement Plan
Under this plan, foodpanda offers classes under Panda Academy to riders who are interested in acquiring new skills like language, coding and data science.
For more info regarding benefits, check out pandariders.my/tawaran.
2. Grab
How much a Grab rider can earn depends on how many successful deliveries the rider can make per day and the number of hours the rider wishes to work.
For example, if you spend an hour to complete one order from pick-up to delivery to the client, with an average order value of RM10, you can earn RM50 per day if you work for 5 hours.
As for the benefits, Grab riders can expect to receive SOCSO coverage, fuel rebates at Petronas and Shell, and online shopping vouchers. For more info on benefits, check out Grab’s Delivery-Partner page.
In these tough times, it’s always better to have a job, no matter how “lowly” people perceive the job to be. Your survival is what matters most, and a stable income could help you through the challenging times until everything is back to normal.
