A scooter, a sack full of parcels and a hand on the throttle bumping up the speed—these are the characteristic traits of the Chinese deliveryman. In the age of e-commerce and digital purchases, they have become a face of today's China.

Once a familiar sight as they weaved in and out of the bustling traffic on high streets and crowds in back lanes, this tribe has recently come under the spotlight due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. Wang Yong is one of the first couriers to become a public figure after he volunteered to pick up medical workers from designated hospitals in Wuhan, the epidemic center in the central province of Hubei that has been placed under a lockdown since January 23, and drop them at their home to solve the problem of transport. He also made an online appeal to others to chip in.

While other deliverymen are not all online celebrities like Wang, they have also been delivering stellar service, standing firm at their post and resolutely dropping off thousands of parcels at their destinations, contributing silently to the running of the nation in an orderly way.

With many people staying indoors to prevent the spread of the virus, the deliverymen have become their link to the world, delivering medical supplies and daily necessities bought online despite the risk of catching infection themselves.

A deliveryman in Xining, Qinghai Province in northwest China, disinfects a parcel handed to a resident on February 22 (XINHUA)

Facing risks

Li Zhenquan has been going out every day to deliver supplies even when Beijing streets were empty. The 32-year-old hadn't really planned to do this. Ahead of the Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year that fell on January 25 this year, he saw off his wife and 3-year-old child who went back to their hometown in Gansu Province in northwest China. Li's plan was to join them a few days later after he had finished his work but the outbreak disrupted his plan.

Since he couldn't go back home, Li was among the first couriers to rejoin work at delivery company Yunda Express when it reopened.

"Some of my colleagues could not come back from their hometowns due to transport problems, so I did the work of four to five people," he told Beijing Review. "I could do it because initially, the number of orders declined. In the first few days, I delivered 300 parcels per day on average, when during normal times I deliver about 300-500 parcels. However, it also meant I had to get in touch with about 300 people every day."

In the past, the higher the number of parcels he delivered, the more his income would be. During the epidemic, however, it also means a greater possibility of being infected. But Li is stoical. "I would be lying if I said I'm not afraid, but someone has to do the job," he said. "My father refuses to speak to me because he is upset that I keep doing it during the epidemic, saying my life is more important than money. But I am staying on because I want to end my 10-year career as a deliveryman with a meaningful experience."

Li has invested his savings in a friend's home textile business. His plan was to quit his job and work full-time with his friend after the Spring Festival holiday since he wants a more relaxed job. But that plan is on hold now.

"Though this time the work is risky rather than hard, I have nothing else to do here during this period. If I quit I would still not be able to go back home," he said.

Li tries to take precautions against getting infected. He is also warmed by customers' appreciation. "The disease has made us kind of special during this time, and the customers have been appreciative," he said "One gave me a mask as a gift. It is a precious memory."

Prolonged process

A staffer with the state-owned China Post, who declined to be named, said he was on duty during the Spring Festival holiday and so couldn't go back home in Hebei Province, north China. When the 36-year-old finally got leave, his colleagues failed to return from outstation due to the epidemic and so he decided to continue working.

But the work efficiency has been hit due to the unforeseen circumstances. Housing estates are not allowing deliverymen inside as a precaution. So they have to call the customers one by one from outside the entrance, which is time-consuming. Also, some customers have not been able to come back to Beijing yet to claim their parcels and some, even though they have returned, are in quarantine, all of which has added to the difficulties for the delivery industry.

The China Post employee said previously, it was possible to deliver about 100 parcels per hour as most of them would be placed in smart lockers in residential communities. These days, the number has dropped to 20-30 per hour.

Despite the constraints, he said he understands the measures taken by the government to prevent and control the virus and is confident the battle would be won. At China Post, the work premises are disinfected regularly, people coming in have their temperature checked at the entrance and the staff have been given masks.

A new kind of hero

Cui Yanping received his first gift of the year when he delivered parcels to a woman who gave him a box of handmade candies, saying she wanted to thank him.

The 29-year-old was touched. He came from Henan Province in central China to Beijing in November 2019 to join Hema Fresh, Alibaba's New Retail grocery and food shop where people can order food, vegetables and groceries online.

Cui previously worked in the hotel industry in southeast China. But with his son growing up and the need to earn more money, he changed his job. This year he decided not to go back home during the Spring Festival holiday since Hema Fresh would pay extra to those who worked during the time. After the holiday, the outbreak prevented him from going home.

At first he felt homesick. "Beijing is an unfamiliar place as I came here recently. Besides, it grew so silent. My son would say he missed me every day during our video calls. However, the kindness shown by the people in Beijing heartened me."

His company began to provide meals to the staff as restaurants were closed. It also began staff sharing with other companies, hiring people other companies were forced to let go. The work schedule was changed with the 8:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. night shift canceled. Also, customers were asked to make an appointment before placing an order to ensure the delivery staff were not overworked.

Large companies like JD.com are using delivery robots to reduce actual physical contacts with customers.

Local governments have also implemented measures. In Wuhan, delivery bases have been set up where the parcels are dropped off and people can collect them after being notified. The Ministry of Transport has waived the road toll for some vehicles, which will cut the logistics industry's transport costs by about 30 percent, according to Guosheng Securities, a brokerage firm.

With combined efforts, the industry is inching back toward recovery. On February 18, the State Post Bureau said logistics companies had reached over 40 percent of their normal handling capacity. As of February 17, 112 million parcel orders had been placed—60 percent of the normal volume, while 80 million had been delivered, or 40 percent. More than 2 million deliverymen had returned to work.

Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar

Comments to zhangshsh@bjreview.com