Shenzhen police introduce new crackdown on delivery drivers amid surge in traffic violations
- Starting from January 1, deliverymen using non-motorised vehicles will be barred for three to 15 days if they break a rule and possibly banned for more serious offences
Shenzhen police will introduce new rules for parcel and food delivery drivers in the southern coastal Chinese city, in a clampdown on rogue workers amid growing safety concerns in the country’s thriving e-commerce and food delivery sector.
Starting from January 1, delivery people using non-motorised vehicles (including electric bicycles) will be barred from taking orders for three to 15 days if they break a rule, and could even be banned from food and parcel deliveries for more serious offences, according to a post on the Shenzhen police’s official social media account earlier this week.
Police in China’s tech hub Shenzhen will assign 12 points each quarter for registered delivery riders and they will lose three points for offences such as failing to wear a helmet and six points for running a red light or driving under the influence of alcohol. They will lose all 12 points and be blacklisted for serious violations such as drink-driving, hit-and-run or violence against law enforcement officers.
Riders who commit an offence can have points restored for taking part in road safety study sessions or volunteer activities. The Shenzhen police are working with delivery platforms on implementing the new scheme, according to the announcement.
The crackdown on delivery riders comes amid a surge in demand in China for logistics and food services, leading to the rise of companies such as logistics firm SF Express and services platform Meituan Dianping and a huge new crop of riders trying to deliver goods under time pressure. Over 11 per cent of traffic offences involving non-motorised vehicles between December 1 to 20 in Shenzhen were committed by delivery drivers, according to police data.