Today there are 1.6 million people working in passenger transport and delivery through apps in Brazil. Among them, 385.7 thousand are delivery people, such as those who work with iFood (the others, 1.27 million people, are drivers).
These are data from research “Urban mobility and delivery logistics: an overview of the work of drivers and delivery people with apps”, carried out by Cebrap (Brazilian Center for Analysis and Planning) at the request of Amobitec (Brazilian Association of Mobility and Technology, which brings together iFood, 99, Uber and Zé Delivery.
These delivery drivers are generally men, declare themselves black and mixed race, class C, are aged 33, have high school education and own their own motorcycle. And the majority already had a job before joining the apps — in 27% of cases, they already worked with deliveries before joining the apps (check out more details about the profile in the carousel below, by clicking on the arrow in the bottom right corner).
This is the first time that exclusive data from platform workers has been released, which does not include professionals who work outside the applications, such as delivery drivers who work directly with restaurants.
More about Cebrap research
Looking at the data that reveals the profile of those who work with applications is important so that companies can think about their actions and to enrich the debate on public policies in the sector.
- How much does an app delivery person earn?
- Research shows how much an app delivery person works
- What is the perception of the work of delivery people on apps
“The research indicates, for example, that 59%d delivery drivers in the sector have already completed high school. We continue to encourage and support this proportion to increase and we are increasingly promoting more actions that facilitate their access to higher education”, says Debora Gershon, head of the company's public policies.
In 2023, the iFood entered into a partnership with Faculdade das Américas (FAM) to offer full scholarships to 380 delivery drivers, of which 107 enrolled at the institution.
Furthermore, it has education programs dedicated to delivery people, such as My High School Diploma and free or stipend courses on the platforms Takes off for delivery people It is Tech Power.
Most already had another job
Before joining an app, the majority of delivery drivers (67%) already had another job, and 31% were unemployed, according to the Cebrap study. Among those who already had a job, 27% worked in deliveries.
“This is important data for us to understand that unemployment is a relevant factor, but it does not alone explain the adoption of platforms”, comments Debora.
The survey also shows that the majority of couriers (78%) intend to continue working on platforms. “It’s important to look at their vision of the future. After entering the applications, almost 80% want to continue. This reinforces the relevance of platforms in generating income and inclusion”, says Johnny Borges, head of Social Impact and Communities on iFood.
“To improve delivery drivers’ experience with the platform, we are looking at their needs and offering support to their work with actions such as new support points and the reinforcement of Advantage Delivery,” says Johnny.
