S’pore malls, offices and condos to find ways to smoothen food and parcel deliveries

SINGAPORE – Delivery riders make an average of seven trips a day to Jurong Point – doing so would incur around $210 in parking fees if not for the special season parking they enjoy at the mall, for just $45 a month.

Without this subsidy introduced in January 2022, motorcyclists on food and parcel runs would normally pay $1 per entry. Additionally, the shopping mall has dedicated areas for delivery riders’ motorcycles and bicycles, and sheltered parking for delivery riders’ bicycles is free.

In February 2023, Jurong Point also set up a WhatsApp group chat that now has about 130 riders. A mall spokesperson said this allows riders to “share site conditions and safety information, such as illegal parking at the riders’ lots”.

The mall and the nearby Lake Grande condominium also introduced clear signage to help delivery workers find their way within the property, as well as designated parking and waiting areas for delivery workers. The condo rolled out its measures in 2020.

Some of these initiatives are being studied to see how they can be scaled up and implemented at more residential and commercial buildings, said Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat on July 22 in a Facebook post.

He and National Development Minister Desmond Lee visited both properties on July 19, along with platform workers and representatives from the National Trades Union Congress and government agencies.

A Government-led workgroup that includes unions and industry associations is looking into ways to improve parcel and food deliveries all round for workers, businesses, consumers and property management staff, to make processes safer and more efficient.

“Our objective is to enable our delivery workers and facility management staff, including security guards, to do their jobs safely and efficiently, and for our residents to enjoy the convenience of having their parcels and food delivered. Enterprises also benefit as this can lead to an increase in their online orders, to supplement the business from their walk-in customers,” Mr Chee said.

In a separate Facebook post, also on July 22, Mr Lee said that as the challenges faced by delivery workers and property management are specific to the locations, the solutions need to be developed locally, involving delivery workers, the labour movement, and management representatives from the condominiums and malls.

“We hope to keep these conversations going, as we develop more ideas and solutions for last-mile delivery,” Mr Lee said.

The Tripartite Workgroup on Last-Mile Delivery, formed in November 2023 and co-led by the Urban Redevelopment Authority and Land Transport Authority, has also been gathering ideas and suggestions to improve food and parcel deliveries.

A

focus group discussion on June 26

involved more than 60 delivery workers and representatives from developments.

Ideas proposed at the discussion include having more shelters for delivery waiting bays, where possible, and extending the grace period for parking at malls and office buildings.

Participants also suggested using the delivery smartphone app or other forms of standardised identification cards worn by delivery riders to streamline security clearances and entry processes at condominiums. This is as residents had voiced concerns about safety.

Since he started working as a food delivery rider a few years ago, Mr Ali Abdullah, 46, noted that more shopping malls have been allocating dedicated parking spaces for delivery riders.

Stressing the helpfulness of extended grace periods at mall carparks to delivery workers, he added: “Sometimes, we have to wait more than half an hour for the vendor to prepare the food. Paying $1 for parking is a lot when we get $5 to $6 per job.”