China to credit food delivery couriers for red light wait times

Authorities in Beijing and major delivery platforms have reached an agreement to reduce time pressure on food delivery couriers by accounting for traffic delays. Under the new rules, wait times at red lights will be automatically deducted from the delivery time used to evaluate driver performance. To implement this, platforms will receive traffic light data from transport authorities to credit drivers with the exact amount of time spent waiting.

The pilot program is scheduled to begin in parts of the city this September. In addition to traffic light credits, delivery platforms plan to recalculate delivery windows based on a maximum average speed of 15 kilometers per hour. Drivers will also receive extended timeframes during bad weather, difficult traffic conditions, or when orders are transferred to new couriers.

These measures aim to mitigate the risks of speeding and traffic violations caused by algorithm-driven delivery targets. While direct financial penalties for late deliveries have largely been reduced, many couriers in China's large cities still face intense pressure to maintain high ratings to secure their earnings.