Shanghai’s deaf courier team delivers good news for millions of disabled workers in China

Name: China’s delivery business provides a career path for the deaf
Uploaded: 2020-08-29T06:30:08.000Z
Duration: 3 min 24 s
Description: China’s delivery business provides a career path for the deaf

Xu Shengliang finds hope, job satisfaction and equal pay in the booming logistics sector

Team founder plans to hire 300 deaf couriers before this year’s online shopping bonanza, Singles’ Day

Reading Time:4 minutes

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Xu Shengliang is a member of a team of deaf couriers in Shanghai, an innovation by Gu Zhong, a TV sign language host who observed the difficulties of hearing-impaired people trying to find work with decent pay and workplace equality. Photo: Weibo

Alice Yan

Published: 2:30pm, 29 Aug 2020Updated: 12:16pm, 31 Aug 2020

“Hello, I am a deaf courier. Your package has arrived,” a voice comes out from Xu Shengliang’s mobile phone as he presses the doorbell of a residential building.

Xu is one of tens of thousands of couriers in Shanghai, driving electric bikes through streets and lanes and climbing several storeys to deliver goods ordered from online shopping websites to their new owners. Unlike most other couriers, Xu is deaf and unable to speak to the customers – the voice from his mobile was recorded by a colleague.

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China’s delivery business provides a career path for the deaf

He is among 40 members of China’s first deaf courier team which was established in Shanghai six months ago after the pandemic began and online shopping flourished. At 6.30am every day, Xu and his fellow couriers begin their work by unloading parcels from trucks and sorting them. Two hours later, they start delivering the packages one by one.

Xu, 27, who started his delivery career at Wusheng Courier three months ago, is now a seasoned courier delivering more than 200 packages a day, earning him 8,000 yuan (US$1,160) a month, double his previous income.

Xu Shengliang rides his bike to deliver parcels in Shanghai. There are plans to expand the team of deaf couriers by the Singles’ Day shopping day. Photo: Weibo

“I am happy with this job,” Xu told the South China Morning Post through a sign language interpreter.

“What attracts me most is that I am treated equally here. My non-disabled colleagues endure the same hardships I do and we are paid according to the same standard.” Couriers earn 1.5 yuan (22 US cents) for each package delivered.

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