Beijing enlists 10,000 delivery riders as public safety volunteers

More than 10,000 delivery riders in Beijing are set to be trained as public safety volunteers under a new initiative that integrates gig workers into the city's public governance system.

At a campaign event on Wednesday, government officials from emergency, fire, and traffic authorities presented flags to a volunteer rider service team and awarded individuals with good safety records, Beijing Daily reported.

Food delivery platform Meituan said it would form 300 such teams in Beijing this year, covering emergency response, fire control, and food and traffic safety.

Riders have already stepped up. In March, delivery rider Li Shijie put out a fire in Fengtai district using skills learned from platform training. Riders also report food safety violations, such as dirty kitchens or unlicensed operations, through internal or government channels.

On traffic safety, the platform uses GPS and smart helmets with voice assistants to detect risky behaviors like running red lights or using phones while riding, triggering voice reminders, online training, or even delivery restrictions.

Meanwhile, riders are rewarded with a safety point system and daily cash bonuses that allow them to exchange safe mileage records for benefits and higher income.

AI cameras have also been deployed in warehouses and kitchens, covering more than 900,000 merchants with over 91.7 percent accuracy in correctly warning of real danger.