Dubai: Dubai-based Anil Maripelli Sathaiah is a man on the go. Getting him over the phone is not easy – and not prudent either, as the delivery boy will tell you.
“Talking over the mobile phone while riding can be very risky, so I never do it. If I must take a call, I always pull up on the side of the road,” he says.
The 22 year old is happy to add that in the past two-and-a-half years that he has been working for Deliveroo, a food delivery service, he has never received a single traffic fine.
Little wonder then that Sathaiah was among the 100 delivery bike riders who received a pioneering award from Dubai Road Transport Authority (RTA) and Dubai Police last week.
A regional first, the Delivery Sector Excellence Awards were given away by Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA and Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police.
Another awardee Mohammad Asad, a delivery rider with Aramex, is also proud of the fact that he has a clean record.
“I have not been involved in any accident nor have had any traffic fines for the last eight years,” he says. The 29 year old Pakistani believes the one rule that has held him in good stead all these years is never to rush.
“No hurry, no worry,” he reasons.
Both Sathaiah and Asad hope the pat they have received for keeping the roads safe in Dubai will inspire others also to follow the rules.
Cash reward
The duo, who received a cash reward of Dh3,000 each, say they will use the money on their families.
“I plan to buy some gold for my mother. She felt very proud when I told her that I got the award from the Dubai authorities,” he says, adding that he will also treat some of his friends with a part of the prize money.
Sathaiah, who came to Dubai to make a better living for himself and his family, says he clocks 14-18 food deliveries in a day during the week, with the number going up slightly over the weekends.
“I earn a commission on each order and by the end of the month, the accumulated amount is paid to me. Online tips also get added to the account,” he shared.
According to him, the key to road safety lies in managing time in a safe and calm manner. “Sometimes, even if a delivery gets delayed due to heavy traffic, our company never pressures us in the interest of road safety. It is very important to keep calm while riding,” he adds.
No short cuts
Asad, who manages 12-13 deliveries a day, also believes there are no short cuts when it comes to making deliveries. “Sometimes, the peak hour traffic during the mornings and evenings can be very heavy, but as delivery riders, we cannot change lanes suddenly or break other rules just because we are in a rush,” he says.
Father of two kids, aged two and two months, Asad is looking forward to spending the cash award on them.
Besides the 100 individual delivery riders, six delivery companies also received awards in separate categories.
While giving away the awards, Al Tayer explained the rationale behind the recognition. According to him, “COVID-19 significantly raised the demand for delivery services to fulfil the public’s need for goods and products. In response, RTA was keen on regulating and streamlining the business of this sector to ensure the delivery of excellent services.”
Al Marri said the award partnership between RTA and Dubai Police “fostered the well-being of Dubai and the integration between the two entities in supporting the government’s strategic goals to promote a sense of security among the public and enhance traffic safety across the emirate”.
