During the Christmas rush, post agents, parcel boxes and delivery vans are packed full of parcels ordered via e-commerce.
One of the largest delivery companies is Instabee, which includes both Instabox and Budbee, they deliver packages to both home addresses and package boxes.
SVT Västernorrland has been in contact with five current, or former, employees and according to the former Instabox drivers, the work for the company was fraught with stress and anxiety.
– On the first day I worked, more than half of all workers did not finish on time, says a former driver for Instabox.
“Very big pressure on yourself”
A of the drivers delivered a maximum of 200 packages in a day. During a working day, he could drive between 30-40 miles to deliver packages. Sometimes he had to drive up to 130 kilometers per hour on roads with a speed limit of 90, to catch up.
The company’s app told him where to drive, how many packages and returns to handle and how long it would take.
– On Google maps it almost always said that it took longer than the app estimated. It was not possible to drive to, for example, Söderhamn at the time the app wanted, he says.
“The boss was pissed off”
The drivers that SVT has been in contact with say that the pressured timetable means delays, which has led to shortened lunch breaks and overtime work, for which they did not dare ask for payment.
– The boss was pissed off and I had to have a meeting in front of the whole group. It was as if they were pissed because there were delays, says another driver and continues;
– It puts a lot of pressure on yourself if you can’t handle it, even though it’s not your own fault.
“Must have a sustainable schedule”
SVT has requested an interview with representatives of Instabee, but the company cancelled. In an email reply to SVT, Matilda Hasselmark, Country Manager Sweden, answers, among other things:
“Our routes are planned in accordance with the drivers having a sustainable schedule and are created, among other things, based on the driver’s conditions and previous experience.”
She also writes that she welcomes drivers and employees to talk to their immediate supervisor or go through the whistleblower line, if conditions are not being enforced.
Footnote: SVT has shortened answers from Instabee to avoid repetition.