Last Updated: July 3, 2026 | For weather and high-temperature information, please refer to the Central Weather Bureau\u2019s real-time updates.<\/p>\n
As soon as July rolls around, when I\u2019m waiting at a red light during my lunch break, it feels like a steamer inside my helmet. Every summer, people in our group chat say things like, \u201cI almost threw up from the heat today,\u201d and there really are fellow riders who end up in the ER with heatstroke. Delivering in the summer is a whole different ballgame compared to other seasons: the heat isn\u2019t just uncomfortable\u2014it directly affects your judgment and reaction time, which ultimately impacts both your safety on the road and your income. In this post, I\u2019ve compiled my own approach to summer deliveries. I\u2019m not trying to teach anyone; I\u2019m simply sharing how someone with several years of experience manages things\u2014how to adjust your schedule, what gear to invest in, how to stay hydrated, when to call it a day, and how to protect your rights if something goes wrong.<\/p>\n
First, let\u2019s talk about the time of day\u2014this is the biggest factor. The hottest part of the summer is generally from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., which coincides with the lunch rush\u2014one of the busiest times for orders. It\u2019s hard for full-time workers to avoid this period entirely. My approach is to limit the \u201ctime spent in direct sunlight\u201d: I keep working during the midday rush, but once I finish a block of deliveries, I find a convenience store or the shade under a building\u2019s awning to rest for 10 to 15 minutes, letting my core body temperature drop, rather than pushing through until 3:00 p.m. before taking a break. It also makes a difference when waiting for orders\u2014even if you\u2019re waiting for just five minutes, standing in the shade of a covered walkway versus sitting in direct sunlight on your bike feels completely different. Over the course of a whole day, that adds up to the difference between feeling \u201cokay\u201d and \u201con the verge of heatstroke.\u201d The period from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. usually sees lighter order volume, and the sun is at its strongest\u2014making it ideal for a fixed rest period: having lunch, taking a quick nap, or doing some bike maintenance are all better options than aimlessly circling the streets. Then save your energy for the evening through late-night hours\u2014it\u2019s more comfortable once the sun goes down, and the volume of dinner and late-night orders in the summer is actually pretty good. In fact, many riders shift their focus entirely to the evening during the summer. Even if you\u2019re working the same 10 hours, shifting your schedule to the morning and evening makes a huge difference in how you feel, and your earnings won\u2019t necessarily be any lower.<\/p>\n
Another variable in summer is afternoon thunderstorms. In Taiwan, summers are often scorching hot at noon, only to be followed by sudden downpours around 3 or 4 p.m. Rain gear is still a must-have in the car during summer\u2014don\u2019t just leave it in the car just because it\u2019s sunny when you head out. Get into the habit of checking the radar echoes on your weather app before deciding whether to take a long-distance ride\u2014it can save you from getting caught in a lot of unnecessary rain. During thunderstorms, ride-hailing platforms often offer higher fares. It\u2019s up to you to decide whether to take the risk: slippery roads, poor visibility, and crowded sidewalks\u2014those higher fares come at the cost of risk. Especially during thunder and lightning, no amount of money is worth gambling with the weather. The combination of wet roads after a rain shower and high temperatures causing evaporation is also a common cause of crashes in the summer. Slow down a bit when cornering and approaching lane markings. Keep a few plastic bags in your trunk\u2014use them to wrap takeout food or your phone on rainy days. One bag can save you from an insurance claim dispute.<\/p>\n
The types of orders also change in the summer. There\u2019s a noticeable increase in orders for bubble tea, ice cream, and iced coffee from convenience stores. Since these items are sensitive to shaking and heat, the insulated box actually serves as a \u201ccooling box\u201d during this time: by placing one or two ice packs inside and securing the drinks upright, you can significantly reduce customer complaints about \u201cdrinks losing their temperature\u201d or \u201cice cream melting,\u201d as well as refund disputes. Food spoils quickly in the summer heat, so the shorter the time meals spend sitting in the box, the better. It\u2019s worth taking an extra second to carefully plan the delivery order when stacking multiple orders together.<\/p>\n
By the way, here\u2019s a note on handling disputes during the summer. Frozen items are the most likely to cause issues: ice cream that\u2019s melted to the point of being mushy, drinks with melted ice, shaved ice that\u2019s turned into sugary water\u2014customers are unhappy, the store claims the order was fine when it left, and the delivery driver is caught in the middle. My routine for high-risk orders (frozen items, cakes, fresh produce) is to take a quick look at the condition when picking them up. If I have any concerns, I ask the shop to double-check the packaging right away. If a customer complains in person upon delivery, I take a photo as evidence before leaving\u2014that way, if there\u2019s a complaint later, I at least have something to back me up. It\u2019s hot out and everyone\u2019s on edge. There are plenty of grumpy customers in the summer\u2014those waiting downstairs past their pickup time or whose food has been left out in the sun. If I can avoid snapping back, I do\u2014it\u2019s better to let the platform handle the complaint than to get into an argument under the blazing sun.<\/p>\n
Sun protection isn\u2019t about avoiding a tan\u2014it\u2019s about preventing sunburn that would keep you from riding properly for several days. A long-sleeved, cooling-fiber sun-protective jacket is more practical than a short-sleeved shirt plus sunscreen; sunscreen washes off as soon as you start sweating while riding. Light colors are better than dark ones, and mesh fabrics that allow airflow are better than tightly woven ones. For helmets, choose a style with front and rear vents; you can wear a sweat-wicking balaclava underneath and change it whenever it gets wet\u2014it\u2019s safer than letting sweat drip into your eyes. Sunglasses or photochromic lenses should be standard equipment\u2014without them, you really can\u2019t keep your eyes open on stretches of road exposed to the afternoon sun. Phone overheating is a summer staple\u2014try to position your phone mount so it avoids direct sunlight for as long as possible; the navigation screen can overheat, dim, or even shut down completely much more easily than you\u2019d think; Some people attach small sunshades to their phone mounts\u2014it\u2019s a makeshift solution, but it works. Take care of the bike itself, too: for gas-powered bikes, check the coolant temperature before heading out\u2014it rises quickly in summer traffic jams; inflate tires to the manufacturer\u2019s recommended pressure. Combining high road temperatures with incorrect tire pressure will significantly accelerate tire wear. If you ride an electric scooter, be prepared for the fact that battery range drops by about 10% in high temperatures compared to spring and fall, so plan your stops at battery swap stations with a bit more leeway. I usually bring two water bottles: one for regular drinking, and one frozen until it\u2019s half-solid, which I use in the afternoon to cool my neck\u2014once it thaws, it\u2019s ready to drink. Also, there are small, affordable items like cooling towels (just wet them, wring them out, and shake them a couple of times for an instant cooling sensation) and motorcycle seat heat shields (so you won\u2019t jump up in pain when sitting down after parking for half an hour at noon)\u2014once you\u2019ve used them, you\u2019ll never go back. All these items together cost less than one or two thousand, but they\u2019ll come in handy all summer long.<\/p>\n
The key to staying hydrated is to \u201cdrink small sips frequently, before you get thirsty.\u201d By the time you\u2019re thirsty, it\u2019s already too late, Personally, I force myself to take a few sips after every two or three deliveries, and around noon I replenish some electrolytes\u2014mixing a sports drink from the convenience store with an equal amount of water is enough; there\u2019s no need to guzzle the undiluted, sugar-laden version. I keep a few salt tablets or pickled plum slices in my pocket, which really make a difference on days when I\u2019m sweating heavily. Drinking coffee or sugary bubble tea as if they were water actually makes your body even more dehydrated\u2014though many people refuse to believe it. As for food, don\u2019t eat a heavy lunch\u2014your blood will be diverted to digestion, making you feel even more sluggish in the afternoon. Instead, eat small, frequent meals; you\u2019ll feel much better. The quality of your sleep the night before directly determines your heat tolerance the next day; staying up late and then pushing yourself in the sweltering heat is a recipe for disaster. Warning signs to watch out for: reduced sweating, a throbbing headache, nausea or vomiting, a racing heartbeat that won\u2019t settle down, or feeling unsteady on your feet\u2014these are signs that heat exhaustion is progressing to heatstroke. If you experience any of these, stop taking orders immediately. Go to a convenience store to cool off in the air conditioning, and use ice water to wipe your neck and wrists to lower your body temperature. If there\u2019s no improvement after 15 minutes, seek medical attention immediately. Don\u2019t think, \u201cI\u2019ll finish this delivery first and worry about it later.\u201d You can always take another delivery, but if you collapse, you won\u2019t be able to work for several days\u2014it\u2019s not worth it no matter how you look at it.<\/p>\n
Is heatstroke considered a work-related injury?<\/strong>Many people are unaware that heat-related injuries sustained by food delivery riders while on the job due to high temperatures may be recognized as work-related injuries. If you have occupational accident insurance (including those who have enrolled in Labor Insurance through a labor union on their own), be sure to ask your doctor to issue a medical certificate when seeking treatment, and keep your order records and screenshots of your route for that day\u2014these will be needed when applying for benefits later; If you reported the incident to the platform\u2019s customer service at the time, be sure to keep those records as well. In recent years, the Ministry of Labor has been continuously reviewing measures to prevent heat-related hazards for outdoor workers. Once the dedicated law for food delivery workers takes effect, the platforms\u2019 insurance obligations and occupational injury compensation regulations will become clearer, so it\u2019s worth keeping a close eye on protections against risks like extreme heat; If you\u2019re a full-time delivery rider and don\u2019t yet have any labor insurance coverage, take the time to enroll through your professional union before summer arrives. It only costs a few hundred dollars a month, but it makes a huge difference if something goes wrong. I\u2019ll post updates on the progress here atTakeout News Section<\/a>, For an overview of the key points regarding compensation under the Ministry of Labor\u2019s subsidiary regulations, you can start by reading this article:Delivery Riders Eligible for Up to 6 Months of Compensation! Ministry of Labor Announces Key Provisions of Three Subsidiary Laws Under the Special Act on Food Delivery Services<\/a>The<\/p>\n Finally, let\u2019s be honest: Summer brings a high volume of orders and often higher bonuses, making it the season when many people want to boost their earnings. But in the sweltering heat, the first rule of any income strategy is to take care of yourself\u2014adjust your schedule, check for thunderstorms before heading out, make sure your gear is up to date, stay hydrated, and stop working as soon as you notice any warning signs. Summer is a long season, and those who can consistently work through the entire summer will ultimately earn more than those who push themselves for one day only to be out of commission for three. Stay safe out there, and drink plenty of water.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Delivering orders under the blazing July sun comes with a real risk of heatstroke, so your earning strategy needs to adapt to the season as well. In this post, I\u2019ve compiled my own tips on choosing delivery times during the summer, staying cool, staying hydrated, and recognizing warning signs\u2014all for the benefit of both full-time and part-time delivery riders.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[65],"tags":[23,52],"class_list":["post-1303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-65","tag-23","tag-52"],"yoast_head":"\n