As heavy snowfall hit the Northeast on Saturday, delivery drivers in New York City continued to cycle through snowy streets, facing not just freezing temperatures but also potentially costly damage to their bikes as well as injuries.
Gustavo Ajche started his morning at 5:30, waiting 45 minutes for a train into the city. Once he was on the job, a person operating a snowblower didn’t recognize his presence on the street and ended up blowing snow directly onto his face. By Saturday evening, he told BuzzFeed News, he’d experienced unprecedented obstacles that he said went beyond his previous experiences in bad weather.
“Many of us are experiencing issues with our bikes,” Ajche said. “I fell off my bike around four times this morning. Several delivery workers, including myself, have had to carry our bikes over our heads to move through the snow.”
Generally considered independent contractors by delivery apps, workers like Ajche are facing the rough conditions without any assurance of extra pay. They’re responsible for the upkeep of their bikes, and parts to fix the damage can run anywhere from $40 to $700. From a snow-blanketed street Saturday, Ajche posted on Twitter to show some support for delivery drivers. The tweet has now been reposted thousands of times, with people replying in the comments with heartwarming messages and even offers to send him thank-you payments. He was touched but said he doesn’t need the donations. But organizations like Los Deliveristas Unidos, of which he’s a founder, have started relief funds for delivery workers to help with the repair and damage costs in the winter in particular.