If you've driven for Amazon Flex recently, you may have noticed some strange goings-on at warehouses that have left many scratching their heads. Drivers across the country are reporting long waits with no route assignments, despite seeing a steady stream of other vehicles leaving with fully-loaded carts. What's really going on here? After reviewing reports from frustrated Flex drivers and doing some digging of my own, I've uncovered some disturbing insights into how Amazon may be prioritizing bots over human flexibility.
Drivers Left Hanging for Hours
It's no secret that the holiday season brings bigger paydays for Amazon Flex drivers willing to work odd hours. But according to numerous social media posts and forum discussions I came across, many Flex drivers are finding it nearly impossible to secure lucrative early morning or late night routes, no matter how diligently they refresh their app. One driver's now-viral TikTok video shows his 2 hour wait at a warehouse from 3am, constantly refreshing with no luck while watching "hundreds of carts" leave filled with others' orders.
Frustration Reaches Boiling Point
The frustration expressed by drivers in online communities reflects a boiling point. With bills and family needs depending on reliable Flex income, wasting entire shifts refreshing to no avail has real consequences. Many simply can't afford to keep showing up just hoping for scraps. But with no other answers from Amazon, drivers feel powerless against the unseen forces snatching up all routes.
A Rise in Delivery Bot Experimentation
It's an open secret within Amazon that the company has been extensively testing delivery robots (or "bots") for shorter "last mile" routes over the past couple years. Originally limited to controlled neighborhoods and universities, Amazon's fleet of bots has rapidly expanded throughout 2021. Named "Scout" bots, they can navigate sidewalks and avoid obstacles independently while toting multiple packages.
Interestingly, Amazon has been quite quiet about formally announcing any bot delivery programs or publicly acknowledging their capabilities and numbers. However, job postings, research papers, and eyewitness reports all point to a much larger deployment than most consumers realize. Could it be that amid overwhelmed human drivers, Amazon has quietly accelerated the use of bots for time-critical orders without disclosing this shift?
Bots Snatching Up Surge Orders?
Putting two and two together, I began to suspect Amazon may be prioritizing bot-compatible routes (those with fewer/larger packages for one neighborhood) during busy surged periods, rather than make them available to drivers. After all, bots don't get tired, don't have to be paid fairly, and can work 24/7 - making them ideal for the most profitable order slots. And with the ability to distribute loads across fleets of bots with near-instant response times, no human stands a chance on the app.
To test my theory, I reached out to a few current and former Amazon warehouse employees. While none would go on record, they confirmed my suspicion - bots have been increasingly relied upon to clear out surged blocks before drivers even see them. One noted it's "usually only the scraps left for drivers after bots take the prime slots." If true, this hidden preference for bots represents a troubling shift in how Amazon allocates flexibility work.
Are Humans Just Backup Labor?
It's easy to understand why Amazon wants to lean on robots - lower costs, fewer variables, guaranteed 24/7 operation. But relying on bots as the primary delivery method, while allowing the perception that human Flex drivers have equal access, raises serious ethical questions. Essentially treating highly trained and invested human drivers as backup alternatives risks devaluing workforce flexibility altogether.
Workers have flexibility because they're people, not machines - they have lives, families, and real financial responsibilities that depend on steady income opportunities. By shifting the best opportunities away without honest disclosure, Amazon risks losing the good faith of those who've helped make the Flex program a success so far. Transparency around delivery methods and order priorities is crucial for platform workers to make an informed choice.
What Can Be Done?
It seems Amazon's solution to holiday delivery strain may come at the expense of human flexibility and fairness. But changes could be made to better balance bot capabilities with meaningful work for drivers. Here are a few ideas:
- Set clear bot service areas and limit their access to top surge periods
- Give drivers priority access to assigned neighborhoods near their location
- Improve the app to show real-time available orders without bot interference
- Compensate drivers for long wait times equal to guaranteed earnings
- Be fully transparent about bot use and how it impacts driver opportunities
At minimum, Amazon needs to acknowledge drivers' valid concerns, communicate bot priorities honestly, and take steps to ensure flexibility work doesn't become an afterthought. With cooperation between humans and machines, a better balance can be achieved that respects all contributors to delivery success.