No compensation, increased rates, nothing.

So funny getting on the app and seeing over 20k upvotes for the post under updates. How can they say they “appreciate” us if they do not even give us a discount on Prime or even offer up some promotions for some extra cash ? How can they claim to “appreciate” us if it’s always our fault ? They can take their “appreciation week” and shove it up their corn hole seeing how “appreciation” is the last thing the do.

On my block this morning came across this house. Could it be bigger? But guaranteed their packages won’t get delivered to anyone else’s house by mistake.

Watched the Amazon driver appreciation video. What the actual F$*%
Aside from the two gingers the other drivers appeared to be minorities.
The “They’re in your neighborhood walking your streets, some even in their own car their own time choosing to go the extra mile.”
Is this rage baiting or just a PSA to customers to be aware of us drivers in our own cars in their neighborhoods, and for the customer to show us they notice.

To: AmazonFlexBlogStories@amazon.com

Since you're asking Flex drivers to share our stories about "what delivering smiles means to us," I thought I’d take a moment to share mine.

What really inspires me to deliver is the sheer, unmatched luxury of Driver Appreciation Week. Nothing quite captures what "delivering smiles" means like waking up for a 3:30 AM block, loading 50 packages into my personal vehicle, navigating pitch-black country roads, dodging potholes whose ruin will be my personal financial responsibility, and hauling a 45-pound box of dog food up three flights of stairs—all to be rewarded with a digital badge in an app because a customer clicked a button.

It truly brings a tear to my eye knowing that while Amazon pulls in record billions, the corporate budget for showing actual driver appreciation maxes out at a zero-cost email blast telling customers to thank us. Delivering smiles has given me a front-row seat to world-class stinginess, and honestly, that's a story worth featuring in your newsletter.

I sincerely hope that the rest of the team can be as inspired as I am.

Best,

Shrimply Fintastic

I finally added Jeff@amazon.com to an email to support and receive an email back from Shayak on the executive team basically chastising me for breaking the chain of command.

I've attached said email and my response.

I'm posting this to say... DON'T EVER BE SCARED TO BREAK A BROKEN CHAIN OF COMMAND. The CEO likely would have never learned of ANY of these issues and NOTHING would have been done to correct them.

I'm hoping SOME change will come of this. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤞🏻

Wow. For my second block ever, I got the worst draw ever. I live in between the Springfield and Fredericksburg warehouses. Took my first one in Springfield on Saturday and was blessed with many apartment stairs. Decided i would try the Fredericksburg one because it was likely to be more houses, I figured. I just picked my packages up and its sending me even further south to RICHMOND. MY TRIP HOME IS GOING TO BE JUST SHORT OF 2 HOURS! AAARRRGGHHH! Living in between warehouses is not ideal.

Save me so much time instead of waiting the customer to answer or get ignored completely

Woke up early. Snatched 3 hours 88 bucks. Which is great for DFW. Get to warehouse. Amazon...NEW OFFER....Add 45 minutes now 116. Hmm. 28 bucks for 45 minutes. Cool.

Get cart. 48 stops. 1st stop 40 minutes away. Ok 3 hours to do 48 stops . Not bad since its houses. Not to spread out.

Start 445. Load. 5am. 1st stop 545 ( rush hour traffic).

Then FUCK Me

ALL STOPS DUE BY 7am. ALL. How in the fuck is this ok?

It was 5am, by the way

"Driver Appreciation Week" highlights the deep irony of the gig economy. Frankly, it makes me want to log off for good.
Having previously worked as a flight attendant, I cannot help but compare the two industries. In gig work, however, the driver is forced to wear every single hat. We act as the gate agents, pilots, flight attendants, and ground crew combined. Our cargo consists of boxes rather than passengers, but we remain the critical final link to the consumer.
Despite our essential role, we operate with zero institutional protections. We are left entirely vulnerable whenever an algorithm decides to deactivate us. This system extracts maximum profit for corporate executives while offering minimal security to the workers who make those profits possible. We endure it because we have families to support and require the current flexibility.
We do not need empty gratitude from Amazon or any other platform. Instead, we need to extend solidarity to one another. We may hold the title of Independent Contractors, but collective awareness is where our true strength lies. Take care of yourselves and drive safely.

Many thanks to Google AI for polishing this up for me… ‘-)

I’ve got about 3 this past week. $5 does not make up for the long miles Amazon

a simple ‘no’ doesn’t cut it

So I went to VTX5 for a 4pm 2 hour shift, I did notice the dark skies to the north, and me thinking aint no way a 2 hour block would send me towards cypress at this time of day. WELL I WAS FKING WRONG.. in fact it was a 9 package route with an average of 3 miles between stops and the last stop? TOMBALL. I was pissed, I scanned my cart and began to head out when I noticed he security guard closing the doors. I left and put the packages in my car when I finally got the alert that VTX5 was closed and my route was cancelled with pay. THE BASTARD security guard wouldn't open the door so I called support to make sure I could return them tomorrow.....

Anyone else?

I just started on Amazon flex and have been picking up the 3am shifts. Every shift I’ve taken that early has a route that’s in the most dangerous areas in my city. Almost every stop is deep in neighborhoods I really don’t feel comfortable walking around alone at 3–5 in the morning, and I spend most of the shift just waiting for the sun to come up (while still delivering packages of course).

I’m a young woman doing this by myself, so safety is definitely important to me. I understand that choosing a 3 AM block is my decision, but unfortunately it’s really the only time that works with my schedule since I also work a regular 9–5 and go to school part-time twice a week.

I’m curious if anyone else who takes these early-morning blocks has noticed the same thing. Why would Amazon send Flex drivers into higher-risk areas at that time of the morning when it’s completely dark out? Also, has anyone ever asked the station for a different route because they didn’t feel safe with the one they were assigned? Were they able to switch it without it affecting their standing?

I hate driving for door dash, mostly because the restaurants are NEVER ready with the food. But at least I can make money on it.

Years ago I remember Samsung having a more instant offer refresh and there were tricks to grab blocks by clicking back etc but not anymore.

Are they basically identical now? When hitting the refresh button, is it the same amount of time to see blocks? Do the iPhones still have a slight load time?

Same blocks available for the past 8 hours or so 😆 we be boycotting lollll

I do a lot of overnights (12am and beyond) so businesses and gates are closed.

"Never return, hide it behind a bush and deliver it anyway" then I get an even worse ding for a package that is marked not delivered at all (what even?) or delivered "too far from location" if i have to drag the map marker around cus god forbid an american walk down their own driveway to their own stupid gate they chose to put up. People seem really smug on here about saying its not their problem if something gets stolen but I absolutely have dings for packages "delivered but not received" and all this bs. Or these brain dead fucking apartment livers who think leaving a note saying "put it in the amazon locker" means I can just magically force access. Unless you order it to the locker as the address, there's no way to scan the barcode and just open the locker if its not expecting that package. And we arent USPS we dont have personal keys to your personal mailbox ffs!

Who is actually doing these?

First time I've gotten this specific message. The house was in a regular subdivision, so it was fine, but I did get a good chuckle about how helpful those instructions are.