A Lalamove driver earned more than RM10,000 a month during MCO

As many Malaysians still depend on couriers to deliver food and packages during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), there has been more and more job opportunities for delivery drivers and riders. For Lalamove, they have been giving delivery drivers and riders the opportunity to generate higher-than-average income. For one van driver, he earned more than RM10,000 in a single month.

Recently, it was reported that the number of unemployed Malaysians in March of 2020 has risen to 610,500, which accounts for a 17.1% increase in comparison to the number in 2019. However, as plenty of companies and business struggle to keep up during the COVID-19 pandemic, the courier business has been thriving.

“The continuous growth in on-demand delivery will further generate income opportunities for the sector. This presents an attractive prospect for the unemployed or for those who need to bolster their income during this difficult period,” said Shen Ong, Managing Director of Lalamove Malaysia.

Lalamove operates on the concept of the gig economy, hiring delivery drivers who have their own motorcycles, cars, vans, 4X4s trucks and lorries to generate income while working on their own schedule. Facing the MCO, Lalamove has more than tripled the average monthly new driver registrations in April.

The company’s couriers and drivers can reach Gold Driver/Rider status if they achieve 1,500 lifetime orders. For 26-year-old Sapri bin Tajuddin, who has been a Gold Rider for the past 12 months, his income from completing delivery orders with Lalamove exceeded RM6,000 in April, which is almost double the figures of his average monthly income before MCO.

This Gold Driver earned more than RM10,000

Lalamove delivery driver/rider earnings are based on the delivery base fare of their vehicle with additional charges on subsequent distance. For instance, if a van driver spent their effort in completing 5-6 daily orders, they had earned between RM50 – RM90 per delivery trip. 

Gold Drivers have also seen a rise in their monthly income as it reached up to RM7,000 during the 2nd and 3rd phase of the MCO. And for drivers with vans, 4X4 trucks and lorries, they earn even more in a month. A Gold Driver, 38-yea-old Lalamove Driver Imran bun Isahak even remarked that he earned a total of RM10,156 in April. There is also no income cap, as drivers/riders can earn as much as they can.

“I swapped my bike with a van so that I can deliver with Lalamove to make a living. Turns out, it was one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made. I didn’t expect to earn more than RM10,000 in a month with Lalamove, but here I am today,” said Imran.

“The encouraging rise in income of our top performing delivery drivers is fantastic news for the hard-working drivers. We believe our platform can help them to weather these difficult times while also serving as a solution for those who are looking to generate extra income,” Shen continues.

It also seems like a lot of other courier-based companies are giving more opportunities during the pandemic, including Pos Malaysia—offering anyone with a van the opportunity to become a part-time agent to earn up to RM6,000 in commissions. The same also goes to Grab, as delivery partners can get paid daily as long as they have a working smartphone, are 18 years old and above, a Malaysian citizen and have access to a motorcycle with a motorcycle licence.