What It’s Like To Deliver For Amazon In New Rivian Vans

Summary

Amazon is enhancing its delivery operations with over 1,000 electric Rivian vans, aiming to improve driver experience with features like heated steering wheels and 360-degree cameras. Despite early range concerns, the vans, part of Amazon's commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, are now in over 100 cities. Amazon has addressed past criticisms with safety tech, real-time driver feedback, and detailed route optimization, although challenges like dog attacks and carjackings remain. The company also faces supply chain issues with Rivian and is diversifying its fleet with other electric models.

Takeaways

• 🚚 Amazon has over 275,000 drivers delivering approximately 10 million packages daily worldwide.
• 🔋 In 2019, Amazon committed to purchasing 100,000 electric vans from Rivian, aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
• 🛣️ Amazon started using Rivian vans in July and now operates them in over 100 cities, addressing concerns about range by adding thousands of charging stations.
• 🚗 Rivian has faced production challenges, impacting Amazon's investment, but Amazon still expects 100,000 Rivian vans on the road by 2030.
• 🚗 The majority of Amazon's delivery fleet still consists of 110,000 gas-powered vehicles, mainly Ford Transits, Mercedes Sprinters, and Ram ProMasters.
• 🔑 Amazon uses third-party contractors, known as Delivery Service Partners (DSPs), to deliver packages, which started in 2018 to reduce reliance on UPS and the U.S. Postal Service.
• 🛠️ Amazon has introduced various safety and efficiency features in the Rivian vans, including cameras, sensors, and lane-assist technology, resulting in a significant reduction in accidents.
• 🌐 Amazon has been enhancing its routing algorithms by incorporating detailed mapping data and feedback from drivers to improve delivery efficiency.
• 📱 Amazon is developing an in-app feature for drivers to report pet information at delivery locations, enhancing safety and communication.
• 💰 While pay rates for Amazon drivers are determined by individual DSPs, Amazon ensures competitive rates through regular audits.

Q & A

How many packages do Amazon drivers deliver daily worldwide?

Amazon drivers deliver 10 million packages a day around the world.

What was the issue with the old routing software that drivers faced?

Drivers faced issues with the old routing software such as unrealistic workloads, peeing in bottles, dog bites, and error-prone routing.

How many electric Rivian vans has Amazon put on the road?

Amazon has put over 1,000 electric Rivian vans on the road.

What is Amazon's goal regarding carbon emissions?

Amazon has an ambitious promise of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

In which cities are the Rivian vans being used for Amazon deliveries?

Rivian vans are being used in over 100 cities including Austin, Baltimore, Chicago, Las Vegas, Nashville, and New York.

What are some of the new features in the Rivian vans that drivers appreciate?

Drivers appreciate features like the heated steering wheel, 360 view, big light bar around the back, and increased cargo space.

What challenges has Rivian faced recently that affected Amazon's delivery van plans?

Rivian has faced challenges like cutting back on 2022 production due to supply chain and assembly line issues, leading to a drop in stock value and a recorded $3.9 billion loss on Amazon's Rivian holdings in Q2 of the previous year.

How does Amazon's delivery service partner (DSP) model work?

DSPs are third-party contractors that employ drivers and lease custom vehicles from Amazon. They are responsible for the liabilities of the road and the costs of hiring, benefits, and overtime pay. Amazon covers fuel and installs charging stations for electric vehicles.

What safety features have been added to the new Rivian vans?

The new Rivian vans have safety features like cameras and sensors for warnings and lane-assist technology, automatic braking, 360 bird's eye view, automatic parking brake, rollaway detection, and driver-facing cameras inside.

How has Amazon addressed the issue of drivers urinating in bottles due to demanding schedules?

Amazon has not directly addressed this issue in the script, but it has made changes to improve the driver experience, such as adding more efficient routing and safety features to the new vans.

What is Amazon's plan for the rollout of Rivian vans by 2030?

Amazon expects to have 100,000 Rivian vans on the road by 2030, which is a push back from the original pledge to have them all on the road by 2024.

Outlines

00:00

🚚 Amazon's Electric Rivian Van Rollout

Amazon has introduced over 1,000 electric Rivian vans to its fleet, aiming to enhance driver experience with new technology and comfort features. The vans are equipped with a 360-degree camera, heated steering wheels, and a massive windshield for better visibility. Amazon's commitment to sustainability is evident through its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, with the Rivian vans being a significant step. Despite initial concerns about range, Amazon has expanded its charging infrastructure, and Rivian vans are now operational in over 100 cities. However, challenges such as supply chain issues and the need for maintenance at official service centers persist.

05:00

🛠️ Improved Features and Safety in Amazon's Delivery Vans

Amazon has designed its new electric Rivian vans with input from drivers, focusing on comfort and productivity. The vans offer over 100 cubic feet of cargo space, which is more than traditional vans, allowing for better organization and faster deliveries. Features like automatic bulkhead doors, keyless entry, and safety technology such as lane-assist and automatic braking are aimed at reducing accidents. Amazon has also implemented real-time safety monitoring to alert drivers of unsafe behaviors, leading to a significant reduction in accidents. Despite concerns about surveillance, Amazon assures that privacy modes are in place to protect drivers' privacy.

10:04

🗺️ Enhanced Routing and Driver Support Systems

To address issues with routing and delivery efficiency, Amazon has made significant improvements to its mapping system. It has integrated data from third-party map vendors and real-time feedback from drivers through a system called Fleet Edge. This has led to more accurate GPS locations and better navigation safety. Amazon has also added points of interest like coffee shops and restrooms to help drivers find breaks more easily. The company is working on optimizing routes for different geographical needs and is open to driver feedback to further improve its delivery systems.

15:07

💼 Amazon's Delivery Fleet Expansion and Driver Welfare

Amazon continues to expand its delivery fleet with new orders for electric vans from Stellantis and Daimler, in addition to Rivian. While the company is committed to rolling out more Rivian vans, some drivers express a preference for the stability and benefits of working directly for entities like the USPS. Amazon's pay for drivers is competitive, with an average of nearly $19 an hour, and it has experimented with initiatives to give drivers extra income. However, the long-term benefits and job security offered by government entities are more appealing to some drivers compared to the contract-based nature of Amazon's delivery service partnerships.

Keywords

💡Amazon

Amazon is a multinational technology company that focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. In the context of the video, Amazon is the company responsible for the delivery services discussed, aiming to improve driver experiences and efficiency through the use of electric Rivian vans and advanced technology.

💡Rivian vans

Rivian vans refer to the electric delivery vehicles produced by Rivian, an American automobile manufacturer. The video highlights Amazon's adoption of over 1,000 Rivian vans for its delivery services, emphasizing their role in enhancing driver comfort, safety, and Amazon's commitment to reducing carbon emissions.

💡Electric vehicles (EVs)

Electric vehicles are vehicles that use electric motors for propulsion, typically powered by rechargeable batteries. The video discusses Amazon's use of electric Rivian vans as part of its transition towards more sustainable delivery methods, aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

💡Delivery service partners (DSPs)

DSPs are third-party contractors that Amazon collaborates with for package delivery. The video explains that DSPs are responsible for hiring drivers, managing liabilities, and leasing custom vehicles from Amazon, which allows Amazon to reduce its reliance on other delivery services like UPS and the U.S. Postal Service.

💡Net-zero carbon emissions

Net-zero carbon emissions refer to a state where the amount of greenhouse gases emitted is balanced by an equivalent amount being removed from the atmosphere or offset. The video mentions Amazon's ambitious goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, which is part of the rationale behind adopting electric Rivian vans.

💡Routing software

Routing software is a type of program that calculates and optimizes the most efficient paths for delivery routes. The video discusses issues with Amazon's previous routing software, which led to drivers experiencing unrealistic workloads and the need for improvements in the new systems to enhance efficiency and safety.

💡Fleet Edge

Fleet Edge is an in-vehicle data collection system used by Amazon to gather real-time data from cameras and GPS devices during delivery routes. The video mentions that data from Fleet Edge has significantly improved the accuracy of Amazon's mapping system, leading to better navigation and safety for drivers.

💡Safety features

Safety features in the context of the video refer to the various technologies and design elements in the Rivian vans aimed at protecting drivers, such as cameras, sensors, lane-assist technology, and automatic braking systems. These features are highlighted as a significant improvement over previous vans, contributing to a reduction in accidents and enhancing driver well-being.

💡Keyless entry

Keyless entry is a security feature that allows access to a vehicle without using a physical key. In the video, Amazon's implementation of keyless entry in Rivian vans is discussed as a convenience feature for drivers, allowing the vehicles to automatically lock and unlock as they approach or move away.

💡DSP owners

DSP owners are the individuals or entities that own and operate Delivery Service Partners. The video discusses how DSP owners, like Julieta Dennis, manage their fleets, hire drivers, and lease vans from Amazon. They also benefit from Amazon's support in areas like fuel, charging stations, and discounts on operational necessities.

Highlights

Amazon's commitment to sustainability with the deployment of 1,000+ electric Rivian vans.

Drivers' experiences with the new electric vans, including the heated steering wheel and 360-view camera.

The announcement of Amazon's purchase of 100,000 vans from Rivian to reduce carbon emissions.

The integration of advanced safety features in Rivian vans, such as lane-assist technology and automatic braking.

The addition of thousands of charging stations at delivery hubs to support electric vehicle operations.

Rivian's production challenges in 2022, including supply chain and assembly line issues.

The impact of Amazon's investment in Rivian on its financials, with a $3.9 billion loss recorded in Q2 of the previous year.

Concerns from drivers about the inconvenience and wait times for maintenance at official Rivian service centers.

Amazon's revised timeline for having 100,000 Rivian vans on the road, pushing back from the original 2024 pledge to 2030.

The use of third-party contractors, or Delivery Service Partners (DSPs), to manage delivery operations and their benefits.

The launch of Kangaroo Direct, a DSP that employs 75 drivers and leases over 50 vans from Amazon, including Rivian models.

The introduction of keyless entry and automatic locking systems in Rivian vans for enhanced security.

The implementation of in-cabin cameras and sensors to monitor and improve driver safety.

The reduction in accidents by almost 50% due to real-time driver warnings and safety technology.

The use of Fleet Edge, a data collection system, to enhance the accuracy of Amazon's mapping system and improve navigation.

The addition of detailed points of interest, such as coffee shops and restrooms, to Amazon's maps for driver convenience.

The challenges Amazon faces in optimizing delivery routes for areas with varying densities and geographical differences.

The introduction of Amazon's new Ram and Ford gas-powered delivery vans alongside the electric Rivian vans.

Drivers' anticipation for the rollout of tens of thousands more Rivian vans to improve their work experience.

Transcripts

All right. We're loaded up and ready to go.

For the 275,000 drivers dropping off 10 million

packages a day around the world, delivering for Amazon

is a lot of work.

I've been tired, exhausted, long days.

The expectation is just go, go, go, go, go at your own

cost.

But a lot has changed since drivers in 2021 told us

about unrealistic workloads, peeing in

bottles, dog bites and error-prone routing

software.

We're checked in. We're ready to go.

Got our little key fob.

For some drivers, it's changed a lot.

Now that 1,000+ electric Rivian vans are on the

roads.

Heated steering wheel is amazing.

This little guy is cool.

It's like the 360 view.

So far, so good.

We talked to drivers of the old vans and new and went to

Boston to see firsthand all the new tech Amazon says is

maximizing safety and efficiency for a better

driver experience.

One feature I really like is this big ole light bar that

goes all the way around the back.

In 2019, Jeff Bezos announced Amazon purchased

100,000 vans from California-based electric

vehicle maker Rivian.

It's one step toward Amazon's ambitious promise

of net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Amazon started delivering with them in July.

Now it says they're in 100+ cities like Austin,

Baltimore, Chicago, Las Vegas, Nashville and New

York.

This windshield is absolutely massive.

Some drivers voiced early concerns about range, but

Amazon says at up to 150 miles, it's not an issue.

Now, Amazon's added thousands of charging

stations at delivery hubs.

So this one's charging right now.

But here's the craziest part.

Are you ready? Look at all those chargers.

Rivian has faced some recent challenges, cutting back

2022 production amid supply chain and assembly line

issues. Its stock fell so sharply that Amazon recorded

a $3.9 billion loss on its Rivian holdings in Q2 last

year. And some drivers are worried about the

inconvenience and wait time for maintenance, which has

to happen at official Rivian service centers or by

a Rivian mobile service team.

I was waiting for this moment. Rivian truck.

Rivian van.

Still, Amazon says it expects 100,000 Rivian vans

on the road by 2030, although that's pushed back

from Bezos' original pledge to have them all on the road

by 2024.

For now, most drivers are still in 110,000

Amazon-branded gas-powered vehicles, primarily Ford

Transits, Mercedes Sprinters, and Ram

ProMasters. Amazon wouldn't share how it determines

which of its 3,500 delivery service partners, or DSPs,

get Rivian vans first.

Amazon's been using these third-party contractors to

deliver its packages since 2018, allowing it to cut

back its reliance on UPS and the U.S.

Postal Service. Here's how it works.

The DSP is the employer of the drivers, responsible for

the liabilities of the road and the costs of hiring,

benefits and overtime pay.

And they lease the custom vehicles from Amazon.

Amazon covers the fuel and installs charging stations

for electric vehicles and offers discounts to the DSP

on things like insurance, uniforms and package

scanners known as rabbits.

In the four years since Amazon launched the program,

it says DSP owners have generated $26 billion in

revenue and now operate in 15 countries, including

Saudi Arabia, India, Brazil, Canada and all over

Europe.

It's very easy to get in and out with all of the

different handles to hold on to.

Julieta Dennis launched her DSP, called Kangaroo Direct,

in Baltimore in 2019.

She employs 75 drivers and leases more than 50 vans

from Amazon. Fifteen of them are Rivians.

Because they're so new and a lot of the drivers don't

really know what to expect from them, some of them have

been hesitant.

But the moment they get in there and have their first

experience, that's the van that they want to drive.

The Rivian vans are small enough that they don't

require a special license to drive, although Amazon

provides its own training to drivers before they can

get behind the wheel.

So this is where all the lovely cargo goes.

We have two shelves on both sides to allow for more

space. And then the lights at the top: very innovative

to help us see the packages and address a lot easier,

especially at nighttime.

Brandi Monroe has been delivering for Dennis's

Baltimore DSP for two years.

She says the new vans make her job faster and easier.

The van has a 360 view of all sides of the van.

Also on the inside, it has a route laid out for you

right on the tablet.

And then there's AC seats and heated steering wheel.

So that's great.

Former driver B.J.

Natividad, who goes by Avionyx on YouTube, says his

non-electric van could get very cramped.

I remember one time I had 23 or 24 bags and over 40

oversize packages.

I had to be able to figure out how to stuff that all in

there within the 15 minutes that they give us.

When designing the vans, Amazon asked for input from

drivers about what needed to be better.

Now they're filled with features for comfort and

boosted productivity.

In the back here the shelves actually fold up and down,

and there's still plenty of space to walk.

The Rivian vans have at least 100 more cubic feet

than the Sprinter and up to double the cargo space of

the Transit vans Natividad drove in Las Vegas until he

left in July. More space to better organize means faster

deliveries while on route and room for more packages.

The bulkhead is automatic.

As soon as the vehicle is placed in park, it

automatically opens.

So that helps to get like easy access to the packages

in and out of the van.

Also, when you leave the van and you walk away a few

feet, it automatically closes.

We did a lot of deliveries as a test because as a

woman, I want to make sure that the seats are

comfortable for me and that my legs could reach the

pedals, I can see over the steering wheel.

Mai Le's team at Amazon built out the Rivian's

center console and its integrated software.

When we start to notice that you're slowing down, that

means that we can tell you're getting near to your

destination. The map begins to zoom in, so you begin to

find where's your delivery location, which building and

where parking could be.

The new vans have keyless entry and automatically lock

when the driver is 15 feet away and unlock as the

driver approaches.

Above all else, Amazon says it's made changes to make

the delivery job safer.

A ProPublica report found Amazon's contract drivers

were involved in more than 60 serious crashes from 2015

to 2019, at least ten of which were fatal.

Now Amazon's put cameras and sensors all over the new

Rivian vans, which enable warnings and lane-assist

technology that autocorrects if the vehicle

veers out of the lane.

The steering wheel just kind of shaking when you get too

close to something, the automatic braking that it

has, the 360 bird's eye view just to be able to see

everything around the van.

There's just so many features that would really

help cut back on some of those incidental accidents.

It's crazy.

All the alarms like, look, there's a person right there

and it just let me know.

There's an automatic parking brake, rollaway detection

and driver-facing cameras inside.

Now, Amazon can issue warnings about unsafe

driving practices as they happen.

Camera, camera.

Netradyne camera, which has always been there.

Beryl Tomay helps run the technology side of last mile

delivery for Amazon.

The in-vehicle safety technology we have watches

for poor safety behaviors like distracted driving,

seatbelts not being fastened, running stop

signs, traffic lights.

We've seen over the past year a reduction of 80% to

95% in these events when we've warned drivers

real-time. But the really game changing results that

we've seen have been almost a 50% reduction in

accidents.

DSP owners like Dennis get real-time alerts if their

drivers exhibit patterns of unsafe behavior.

You know, something with a seatbelt or just something,

something flags, then our team will contact the driver

and make sure that that's coached on and taken care of

and figured out, like what actually happened.

Some drivers told us the feeling of constant

surveillance is unsettling.

Dennis says it's not an issue for her drivers.

No one's complained to you about that?

None of your drivers?

Never. Never.

There's no sound ever being recorded.

There's no camera recording if the driver's not driving

and there's a privacy mode.

Amazon says privacy mode means the cabin-facing

camera switches off both when the ignition is off and

if the vehicle is stationary for more than 30

seconds, and that there's no live video feed available

to anyone.

One of the things everyone was so concerned about was

that there would be a camera back here in the

cargo area.

There's nothing in there.

Another concern drivers told us about is aggressive dogs.

Customers out there, please restrain your dogs when you

know a package is coming.

Okay? Please keep them inside.

Don't leave them just outside.

One Amazon driver in Missouri was found dead in

October, allegedly after a dog attack.

Now Amazon is working to increase notifications to

both customers and drivers.

One of the other things that we're building and we're

going to be launching is the in-app for drivers so

that they can actually then tag inside the app that,

hey, this place has a pet so that in the future any

other drivers that come to this house now knows that,

oh, there's a pet here.

Other Amazon drivers have been carjacked.

Amazon says the keyless system will help safely

prevent theft.

The EDV logic will allow the van to drive away without

the key for a short period of time, thus keeping the

driver out of harm's way and eventually turning off

the vehicle once beyond a certain range.

Providing drivers with more efficient and better

detailed routes could improve safety, too.

People are running through stop signs, running through

yellow lights. Everybody I knew was buckling their

seatbelt behind their backs because the time it took

just to buckle your seatbelt, unbuckle your

seatbelt every time was enough time to get you

behind schedule.

Drivers in 2021 told us that when they cut corners, like

leaving their seatbelt off or running stop signs, it

was often because they were rushing to finish their

deliveries after losing time because Amazon's

routing software made a mistake, like not

recognizing a closed road or gated community.

Blocked. Can't get in.

Can't get in. Gate.

Gate. Turn left to enter a private road.

Amazon listened.

It's been adding a huge amount of detail to driver

maps using information from 16 third-party map vendors

and machine learning models informed by satellite driver

feedback and other sources, like a new in-vehicle data

collection system called Fleet Edge.

In a few thousand vans now, Fleet Edge collects

real-time data from a street-view camera and GPS

device during a driver's route.

Due to Fleet Edge, we've added over 120,000 new

street signs to Amazon's mapping system.

The accuracy of GPS locations has increased by

over two-and-a-half times in our test areas, improving

navigation safety by announcing upcoming turns

sooner.

Tomay says by the end of 2022, Amazon added 325,000

new stop signs, 180,000 traffic signals and more.

We also added points of interest, such as coffee

shops and restrooms so drivers can find a spot to

take a break within 5 minutes of a stop for about

95% of cases in metro areas.

There's nothing more clutch than showing up to your

first stop, finding one of these.

Let's go.

In 2021, Amazon had to apologize for dismissing

claims that drivers were urinating in bottles as a

result of demanding delivery schedules.

And then as soon as I opened the van, you know, I'm

looking around, I see a bottle of urine.

I'm like, oh, I'm not touching this.

Natividad started delivering for Amazon in 2021 when the

pandemic dried up his gigs as a full-time DJ.

You're getting paid to exercise. You're getting a

lot of steps in. You know, I lost, within four months

of delivering for Amazon, I lost 20 pounds.

Natividad's shifts with Amazon were usually on the

same route, with at least 200 packages.

Once during last holiday season, he had more than 400

packages and 200 stops in a single shift.

Towards the end of my day, they sent out two rescues to

me to help out to make sure everything's done before 10

hours.

In Baltimore, Dennis says during peak season, her

drivers deliver 350 to 450 packages on each of her

DSP's 40 routes.

And Amazon has a lot of these routes to optimize:

148,000 a day, up to 225,000 in peak.

And then we look at the density of the packages, the

complexity of the locations we're going to deliver to,

and any other considerations like weather

and traffic from past history to put a route

together that we think is ideal.

Another big challenge, Tomay says, is planning for the

vastly different needs of areas with various density.

Given that we're in over 20 countries and every

geography looks different, it's not just about delivery

vehicles or vans anymore.

We have rickshaws in India.

We have walkers in Manhattan.

In Las Vegas, Amazon held a roundtable in the spring for

DSP owners and drivers, where Natividad says he

spoke for 20 minutes about the need for Amazon to

improve its routing algorithms, especially

within small, dense communities like an RV park

where he says the order of drop-offs made little sense.

As soon as I was done talking and reading off my

list, I got this like slow clap going on.

I'm like, okay, everyone here can relate.

Natividad hopes Amazon will keep asking for driver

feedback as it continues to innovate in delivery.

I think they should do that probably like once a month

with all the DSP supervision and a few of the

drivers, and not the same drivers every time.

That way different feedback is given.

And like seriously listen to them because they're not the

ones out there seeing and experiencing what we go

through.

Natividad didn't get to try out the routing technology

in the new vans before he left to deliver for USPS in

July. But he's excited that the Postal Service is

following in Amazon's footsteps with new vans

coming by 2028.

The Postal Service intends to deploy approximately

100,000 vehicles over the next five years, of which

66,000 units will be electric.

More important than new vans for Natividad is the

stability that comes with working directly for the

government, instead of a third party that has a

contract with Amazon that could change at any time.

Working as an Amazon DSP delivery driver, there's

really no long-term effects or goals or incentives or

benefits. I mean, you get like health benefits, but

compared to the post office, where the post

office is a career.

They have union, retirement, a lot more

benefits and pay increases every year.

Pay for Amazon drivers is up to the discretion of each

individual DSP, although Amazon says it regularly

audits DSP rates to make sure they're competitive.

Natividad made$18.50 an hour .

Indeed.com puts average Amazon driver pay at nearly

$19 an hour, 16% higher than the national average.

While tipping isn't worked into the job like it is for

gig workers delivering for Uber and DoorDash, Amazon

did hold a temporary campaign in December that

gave drivers an extra $5 if customers told their device,

"Alexa, thank my driver." And while Rivian vans

represent big improvements for drivers and

sustainability, Amazon is getting new Ram and Ford

gas-powered delivery vans too.

I just found a Ram and a Ford CDV next to each other.

Amazon is also diversifying its electric fleet beyond

Rivian, with thousands of orders in for electric Ram

vans from Stellantis and electric Mercedes-Benz vans

from Daimler. But for now, drivers are eager to see

Amazon keep its current promise of rolling out tens

of thousands more of its Rivian vans soon.

In your dream scenario, would you drive Rivian van

every day?

I would. I mean, you can't.

You can't beat this.

Like you really can't beat it.