Amazon Flex Logistics Packages Change to 3 Hour Blocks
Amazon Flex is a delivery service that delivers Amazon packages and Amazon Prime Now parcels. There are two very different services under Amazon Flex. There is one for traditional Amazon packages called Amazon Flex Logistics, and then there are Amazon Prime Now parcels. Amazon Prime Now can include anything, such as food, electronics, and liquor in some cities.
Amazon Flex Logistics is what they Amazon calls their package delivery services. It varies a lot from Amazon Prime Now deliveries, from the type of shifts or Amazon flex blocks to the type and number of deliveries. A traditional route (2-hour routes) on Amazon Prime Now is typically about 5-10 stops with between 10-20 packages. It normally takes drivers about 60-90 minutes to finish the route. A traditional route for Amazon Flex Logistics is made up of between 40-80 packages with about 20-50 stops. It normally takes drivers between 2-4 hours to finish the route, with many drivers noting that they typically finish around 3 hours. However, there are extremes to any route, some finishing within 2.5 hours, some finishing in 6 hours (hope they had 2 4-hour blocks).
Amazon Flex Logistics Blocks
Amazon Flex Logistics blocks are typically 4 hours long. It seems as if these 4 hour blocks can be at anytime on the hour (9am-1pm) or on the half hour (9:30am-1:30pm). For Amazon Flex logistics, there is only one type of block, which are 4 hours long. Amazon Prime Now typically have 2 hour blocks, but they now have 1, 3, and 4 hour blocks and can start at any hour or half hour. You can connect 4 hour blocks if they are adjacent to each other, like 9am-1pm and 1pm to 5pm. There may be small breaks in between.
Amazon Flex Logistics Packages Change to 3 Hour Blocks
Amazon Flex Logistics announced last week that they were changing from 4 hour blocks to 3 hour blocks. Amazon can track how Amazon flex drivers are delivering on Amazon Flex logistics and they probably saw that drivers are typically finishing within 3 hours so they are adjusting to shorter Amazon flex logistics.
Note that I have heard this change has already been implemented this week in many warehouses across the country, but there may be handful that has not changed yet. Please comment below on where your warehouse is, and if they have changed to the 3-hour blocks.
Why are they cutting the Amazon Flex Logistics blocks?
One reason is that they saw many Amazon Flex drivers delivering most packages within 3 hours. Another reason is to make Amazon flex blocks more flexible. 4 hour blocks are very long and limits what Amazon flex can do from a logistics standpoint. By making Amazon flex blocks shorter, they can have more Amazon flex blocks that can add flexibility to Amazon Flex and Amazon flex drivers. With shorter Amazon flex blocks, Amazon flex drivers can have a more flexible schedule and more chance of getting Amazon flex blocks since there may be more of them.
Will there be less Amazon packages per route?
From the drivers I spoke to, there doesn’t seem to be any less packages, even though drivers have only 3 hours to deliver the same number of packages. It is business as usual so you can get 6 packages that are very far from one another to a 60 package route that takes only 2.5 hours.
Undelivered Packages at the end of my Amazon Flex Block?
I definitively know that you need to return these packages to the warehouse after your Amazon Flex block is done. If you have multiple blocks in a row, you will return the packages at the end of your overall shift. That means that you will need to drive back to the warehouse in your own time. However, the main fact is that you need to return the packages you haven’t delivered. This is really important. Make sure to call into Amazon Flex driver support and note that you couldn’t finish delivering the packages due to either the number of stops, traffic or anything else you can mention. You will then typically return the packages back to the warehouse.
Remember that you are only covered insurance-wise when you are working during your shift. If you work outside of your shift, Amazon Flex won’t cover you if you have issues. You can’t work for Amazon Flex outside of your scheduled shift.
I have heard that Amazon has been getting in trouble lately for making Amazon flex drivers work beyond their shifts. This has becoming so much of a problem lately that dispatch has been ending Amazon flex driver shift early (on Prime Now), while paying them for the rest of their shift. This means that they won’t be forced to make deliveries. An example of this is when an Amazon flex driver returns to the warehouse about 30 minutes before the end of their shift. Normally, you just wait around until your time is up. Now, they are ending their shifts because Amazon Flex drivers can’t reasonably deliver anything in their time remaining.
I have spoken to many drivers and some noted that they don’t mind working a few minutes beyond their scheduled shift if they have just one last delivery. However, they will return their packages to the warehouse if they still have many deliveries left.
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