Amazon Delivery Drivers Say They Fear Becoming Target of Looters
- They’re urged to avoid some areas and call 911 if surrounded
- Looting of van in Santa Monica spread fear through the ranks
An Amazon.com Inc. delivery driver in Long Island, New York, was told to abandon his van and call 911 in the event of looting and avoid “high crime” areas. A driver in Chicago encountered a heavy police presence and road closures. In Washington, another driver canceled his shifts for the week after seeing video of an Amazon van in Santa Monica, California, being looted in broad daylight.
The thousands of drivers who deliver Amazon packages around the U.S. are adjusting to civil unrest that has prompted curfews and road closures aimed at quelling riots and looting. It’s the latest test of a decentralized delivery machine made up of companies that hire people to drive blue Amazon-branded vans and independent drivers who use their own vehicles. Already worried about avoiding exposure to Covid-19, many drivers must weigh the risks of navigating around the unrest.