Using a scooter for food delivery

Thinking of using a scooter to deliver food for a company like Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat, to earn a bit of extra cash? Yes, there are advantages to this way of earning a part- or full-time income: but there are drawbacks too!

Many years ago food was delivered by bicycle. However, with the increase in demand for hot food deliveries this has become less practical; and more delivery drivers are turning to motorised vehicles to make deliveries more efficient (and get the food to the customer before it goes stone cold!). The scooter is probably the most popular, at least amongst younger staff. However, as we shall see, although there are advantages to this means of transport: there are some serious disadvantages, too, such as:

The advantages of scooters for fast food deliveries

• Faster delivery times: they can navigate through traffic and narrow streets easily, enabling riders to reach destinations more quickly.
• Lower delivery costs: they are (at least relatively) fuel-efficient and cost-effective to maintain, making them an affordable option for many businesses.
• Efficient parking: they can be parked more easily and cheaply than cars, particularly in busy areas.
• Less capital investment: a scooter is far cheaper to buy than a car.
• Improved fuel efficiency: since they burn a lot less fduel than cars, carbon emissions as well as fuel costs are lower.
• Easy maneuverability: nipping through traffic jams on these lightweight machines can leave four-wheeled transport standing.
• Reduced traffic congestion: they take up far less space on the road than a car, let alone a van.
• Increased customer satisfaction: thanks to their speed through bad traffic the food is much more likely to arrive still hot and fresh, which hungry people appreciate.
• More profitability; lower expenses plus faster deliveries adds up to better earnings for everyone.
• Reduced wear on our roads; their smaller wheels and light weights cause far less damage to the tarmac.
• Increased brand advertising: since they are fairly low cost, a delivery company can have more on the road, meaning more people will see them regularly.
• Better route optimisation: they can often nip down side roads or paths that are inaccessible to larger vehicles. Easier customisation: they can be painted in the delivery company's livery, and have advertising signs added to delivery boxes or panniers, economically.
• Increased flexibility: it is fairly cheap to have a pool of them, with several spare ones for periods of high demand. Cheaper insurance: food delivery insurance can be quite expensive for all types of vehicles, but much lower rates are often available for scooterists.

OK those are the advantages: but what of the drawbacks?

• Safety risks: this is the first and most important issue. Scooter riders are extremely vulnerable and almost always come off second best in a road traffic accident.
• Bad security: a car or van is much easier to lock up than a two wheeled vehicle.
• Lack of weather protection: the British climate can be pretty awful sometimes.
• Poor storage capacity: much less food can be carried per trip than inside a car.
• Less insulation: food is likely to stay warmer for longer in an insulated bag inside a car, rather than one (exposed to all the elements) on the courier's back.
• Less comfort: cars can be warm and comfortable, scooters much less so.
• Unstable backpacks: carrying heavy foodstuffs in a backpack can lead to back strain and susequent tiredness and discomfort.
• Lack of versatility: carring a few pizzas on a scooter is one thing: a full banquet (perhaps inclusing wine) may be just too much or too heavy.
• Noise pollution: many scooters put out a racket that can cause complaints from local residents.
• Increased delivery errors: it is much easier to use a satnav in a four wheeled vehicle.
• More driver fatigue: riding on two wheels can be more taxing than on four, creating a higher chance of burnout.
• Decreased range: cars are designed for longer distance travel than two wheelers.

To sum up

Yes, scooters can be economical means of transport for food couriers, but they vcan be very uncompfortable after a while; and their safety record is pretty awful, with riders exposed to very high risks on the road.

To address safety concerns, many companies that use scooters for food delivery are introducing strict protocols and training programmess for their scooter riders: for example, Deliveroo has introduced mandatory (and fairly comprehensive) training for all of it's drivers, Additionally, some companies are investing in safety equipment such as upgraded helmets, reflective jackets, and protective gloves, to help keep their drivers safe on the roads.

However, whether you use a scooter, a car or a van for food deliveries, you will have to have insurance, so why not get quotes now '?!