What I Learned From Being an Amazon Delivery Driver

By Badees Nouiouat

In the midst of a pandemic, I was looking for a job.

Amazon was seeing a massive jump in demand, evident in the stock price booming to over $3,000 a share. Consequently, they were hiring.

I applied to work as a delivery driver and was quickly hired. Here are my reflections from working there for the past four months.

How hard is it?

Without a doubt, this was the hardest job I’ve had, out of several that I’ve held over the past few years. To be honest, I was ready to quit two weeks in after a particularly rough day in which I suffered a painful sting from a hornet, was told to keep working until I finish my 250+ packages, and returned home after a 15 hour work day. All during sweltering 110 degree weather.

However, after a couple days off, my hardheadedness kicked in.

Would I quit a job just because it was hard?

I was not going to let it beat me.

I pushed through that hump, and within a few more weeks I began getting the hang of the job.

I remember after my first week a supervisor asked me how I was feeling. I told him that I was doing fine. He said, “By now people usually quit.”

After experiencing the life of an Amazon delivery driver, I have immense respect for those who continue to do this job day in and day out.

Looking back, it was clear that there was a hump that you need to get over before things get better.

The internet is full of jokes about how hard it is to work at Amazon. Is it all true?

I have to admit that working at Amazon is tough. But there’s something satisfying about coming home after a long day and feeling sore all over, knowing that you’ve had an honest day’s work.

At Amazon you have to be relentless. Out on the road in a van filled with hundreds of packages, you can’t stop and waste time. You have to train yourself to keep going, to be relentless, and to have an iron will.

Otherwise, one look back at the mountain of packages you have left may make you want to do this: (excuse the language)

Amazon has had a lot of bad press over the years. I agree with some of the concerns that people have brought up. For example, drivers often carry pee bottles in their vans because there’s little time to stop somewhere and use the restroom.

I once met a FedEx driver while out on my route who said he used to be an Amazon driver just 2 weeks prior. He invited me to check out the setup that FedEx drivers get. I was amazed at the neatly organized bins and extra resources (iPad in every truck) that they got.

At one time Amazon paid above average wages to their workers. However, their compensation is starting to be matched by other companies, and if they don’t raise it people will start to leave for more reasonable jobs.

A truly global company

Working for Amazon has given me invaluable exposure to what it takes to operate a truly global company.

I say invaluable because you do not really understand the complete process of getting a package to your door until you see that firsthand.

From the truck drivers that bring shipments to the warehouses, to the last mile delivery drivers that deliver to customers’ homes, I now have an understanding of the complex supply chain that Amazon has created and continues to improve on.

If I work for a company that delivers physical products, I will now have a standard to look up to in terms of creating an efficient and well-oiled process. Amazon has made a lot of mistakes, but one thing that drives their success is they are always improving.

Economic disparity

One thing I noticed as I delivered packages throughout neighborhoods in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metro area is a severe and shocking wealth gap.

I’ve delivered packages to neighborhoods of immaculate and expansive mansions with Bentley's and Rolls-Royce’s parked out front, and communities of crumbling, rotting trailer homes, all within minutes of each other.

I’ve never been someone who glamorized a materialistic lifestyle, but I had to consciously put down feelings of envy that I felt creeping up.

I had to do some soul searching and evaluate what constituted success to me personally. I knew that having a large house and expensive cars was nice, but a life of purpose and closeness to family would be more valuable to me. If I can set myself up financially to achieve those things, then I would consider myself successful.

After all, happiness levels off after an income of 75,000, according to CNBC.

Final Thoughts

No matter what situation I am facing in life, I try to extract any benefit I can and learn life lessons along the way.

Working for Amazon is no different. In whatever challenge comes next, I will bring with me the insight and experience gained from this job and everything I’ve been through so far.