GrabFood rider receives N95 masks from customer amid haze
On 19 Oct, a GrabFood delivery rider in Singapore shared on TikTok that he received a thoughtful gift from a customer.
He said he had just delivered an order to the condo resident when the customer’s young son ran after him and handed him a pack of N95 masks.
“And then he [was] like, ‘You wear it now’,” the delivery rider recalled the boy saying, adding that it was very hazy at the time.
“I’m really touched because I’ve been wanting to get N95 masks, so this is really thoughtful of them,” he added.
Source: @humanalgo on TikTok
Delivering food amid haze had been “brutal”
In the caption, the original poster (OP) further shared that delivering food and groceries in Singapore has been “brutal” because of the poor air quality.
“Dealing with sore throats and stinging eyes is the reality for every food delivery rider in Singapore at the moment,” he wrote.
Image courtesy of xdavestrix
The OP said the delivery platform and the National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA) are giving delivery workers resources.
However, he said “this direct act of care from customers means the world when you are out on the road”.
The OP left haze safety reminders for fellow delivery riders, including checking PM2.5 levels in certain areas before accepting long-distance bookings.
He also reminded customers: “If you are ordering food delivery in Singapore during this haze period, small acts of patience and kindness go a very long way. We are doing our best to get your meals to you safely!”
Many customers have shown kindness to GrabFood rider
Speaking to MS News, the OP, Shawn, said he received the kind gesture from a customer in Midwood condo in Hillview Rise, Bukit Batok.
“I feel very touched. It was raining that day as well, so this gesture was very special,” he recalled, adding, “The customer even tipped me after that.”
The 35-year-old part-time Grab delivery partner shared it wasn’t the first time he experienced kindness from his delivery customers.
Since posting his GrabFood journey on social media, some customers have begun to recognise him from his content.
They would give him words of encouragement, and someone even tipped him S$30 via PayNow to ensure he received the full amount of an order.
Delivery rider had fallen sick due to haze
Due to the haze, Shawn said that he had fallen sick last Thursday (15 Oct) and had to see a doctor.
“I was coughing my lungs out and sneezing,” he shared, adding that he had to skip work the next day.
Shawn said he has started wearing a motorcycle snood as it can be hard to breathe through an N95 mask when cycling.
Source: @mediumshawn on Instagram
“I will reduce my working hours when it gets too difficult to see or breathe, but so far that hasn’t happened yet,” he also shared.
Grab distributes masks to delivery partners
In response to MS News enquiries, a Grab spokesperson said they encourage their delivery partners to prioritise their health, safety and well-being amid the haze.
Regarding the customer’s gesture towards the delivery rider, they wrote:
It is heartening to see such gestures of kindness from the public, and we would like to express our appreciation to them for going out of their way to show their care and support for our partners working on the ground.
The spokesperson said the company had started distributing N95 masks at key delivery areas since September.
Source: @grab_sg on Instagram
Additionally, they partnered with the NDCA to provide masks at 30 bus interchanges in October.
“Partners are also advised to hydrate, take regular breaks, and seek medical attention if unwell in the current conditions,” they also wrote.
Also read: When should you mask up for the haze? N95 mask versus regular masks
When should you mask up for the haze? N95 mask versus regular masks
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Featured image adapted from @mediumshawn on Instagram.
