Foodpanda to give e-bikes to eligible food-delivery riders under e-scooter trade-in grant scheme

SINGAPORE — Following a similar announcement by GrabFood, Foodpanda on Thursday (Nov 14) unveiled details of how its food-delivery riders can gain access to the Government’s electric scooter trade-in grant.

The firm said riders who have completed 100 working hours delivering food from Oct 9 to Nov 7 and are trading in their e-scooters may sign up starting Friday to receive electric bicycles the company has bought for them.

The e-bicycles are set to arrive by Dec 31 due to an “unforeseen surge in e-bicycle orders”, Foodpanda said on its website on Thursday.

Foodpanda riders who have completed less than 100 working hours may purchase their own vehicle, and can claim up to S$600 for bicycles and S$1,000 for e-bicycles on their purchases, subject to meeting certain working targets by Jan 31 next year.

The moves by GrabFood and Foodpanda come in the wake of a ban of e-scooters on footpaths that took effect on Nov 5, prompting a backlash from food-delivery riders. On Nov 8, the Government announced a S$7 million trade-in grant to help food-delivery riders switch to other vehicles.

Foodpanda’s approach is different to the one GrabFood announced on Tuesday, where riders are eligible for the full grant upon completing at least 20 rides in the Oct 9 to Nov 7 period. The firm is not buying e-bikes for them.

Foodpanda food-delivery riders who are eligible for either version of the grant — those who completed at least one order between Oct 9 and Nov 7 — will receive an SMS by Friday and can sign up using the link provided. Sign-ups will be confirmed via SMS in four to five working days.

To claim these e-bicycles, eligible riders can head over to Foodpanda’s North Rider Hub at Woodlands to trade in their e-scooters. The first batch will receive their e-bicycles at the end of December, and the second batch at the end of January.

They may also buy their own vehicle and claim a refund for their purchase by visiting the hub with the receipt for their new vehicle, their e-scooter and their NRIC.

Riders will be able to access the hub seven days a week and Foodpanda will also have a fleet manager on duty to assist its riders, it said in a statement.

Foodpanda food-delivery riders who have completed less than 100 working hours have to purchase their own vehicle and may also make their claims at the hub, though they will not be refunded the full sum in one go.

If they complete 100 orders by Dec 31, they will receive half of the grant — up to S$300 for bicycles, and S$500 for e-bikes. Upon completing another 100 orders by Jan 31 next year, they will receive the remaining half of the grant.

Until the end of the year, all riders eligible for the grant will also be able to enjoy free bike rentals from SG Bike, the biggest bike-sharing operator here. They have to pay a refundable deposit of S$100 to do so.

Eligible riders can also enjoy discounts and special deals from e-bicycle partners Minimotors, Mobot, Mongol Trading, WarehouseSG and TWD Bicycle.

Besides SG Bike, other bicycle partners New Era Cycle and NSR Bikes have also offered discounts.

TODAY has sought comment from Singapore’s other food-delivery service, Deliveroo.