Mu Jie, a food delivery driver in Beijing, works 13-hour days delivering orders across the city [1].
His experience highlights the precarious nature of the gig economy in China, where workers face extreme hours for minimal financial gain. The pressure to complete dozens of orders daily reflects a systemic reliance on low-cost labor to sustain urban delivery infrastructure.
Mu Jie earns just over $1.20 per order [1]. With shifts lasting 13 hours [1], the daily routine requires constant movement to maintain a livable income. This schedule leaves little room for rest or personal time, a common reality for many riders in the region.
Drivers in Beijing often navigate dense traffic and strict delivery windows to avoid penalties from platforms. The reliance on per-order pay means that any delay in traffic or a missed delivery directly impacts a worker's take-home pay.
While the delivery sector has expanded rapidly to meet consumer demand, the compensation for the individuals performing the labor has not kept pace. The physical and mental toll of these long shifts is a growing concern for workers in the gig sector.
“Mu Jie works 13-hour days delivering food”
The report on Mu Jie's working conditions illustrates the widening gap between the convenience of digital platforms and the labor standards of the people powering them. In a massive urban center like Beijing, the gig economy creates a flexible workforce that lacks traditional employment protections, leaving drivers vulnerable to burnout and financial instability.
